Doritos ingredients: what's banned overseas?

About Doritos

Doritos Nacho Cheese is one of the most-shared examples of US vs. UK ingredient differences. The US version gets its orange color from Yellow 5 (tartrazine), Yellow 6 (sunset yellow), and Red 40 — three synthetic petroleum-derived dyes. The UK version of the same product uses paprika extract for color, with no synthetic dyes. Both versions taste similar despite the different colorants, raising questions about why the US version persists with artificial dyes.

Common concerns with Doritos products

{"ingredient_slug":"yellow-dye-5","ingredient_name":"Yellow 5 (Tartrazine)","found_in_product":"Doritos Nacho Cheese (US)","concern":"UK/EU requires hyperactivity warning. Replaced with paprika extract in UK Doritos. Linked to hyperactivity in McCann et al. 2007 Lancet study."}; {"ingredient_slug":"yellow-dye-6","ingredient_name":"Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow)","found_in_product":"Doritos Nacho Cheese (US)","concern":"One of the Southampton Six; requires EU/UK hyperactivity warning. Not in UK formula."}; {"ingredient_slug":"red-dye-40","ingredient_name":"Red 40 (Allura Red)","found_in_product":"Doritos Nacho Cheese (US)","concern":"EU/UK hyperactivity warning; part of FDA April 2025 voluntary phase-out of petroleum-based dyes."}