Takis to remove artificial colors

The spicy rolled tortilla chip brand popular among children will phase out synthetic dyes and the preservative TBHQ by the end of the year.

What happened

Takis, the bright and spicy snack chip popular among children, said it would remove artificial colors and the petroleum-based ingredient TBHQ by the end of this year.

Owner Grupo Bimbo said the change will impact Takis' most popular products, including Takis Fuego and bright blue-colored Takis Blue Heat. Newer innovations — including Takis Pix, Xtreme Lime and Jalapeño — were developed without artificial colors from the start.

Why it matters

"Moving to no artificial colors added and no TBHQ represents an important milestone for the brand," Sandra Kirkpatrick, senior director of marketing at Grupo Bimbo's snacking arm Barcel USA, said in a statement. "It reflects our commitment to meeting the evolving expectations of today's consumers while continuing to deliver the intensity Takis is known for."

More food companies are committing to remove petroleum-based colors from products as they face mounting pressure from consumers and regulators. The FDA has given the food industry a voluntary deadline to phase out artificial dyes by 2027.

Takis is going a step further by removing TBHQ, a synthetic preservative used to prevent processed snacks from going stale. While TBHQ has been declared safe by U.S. and European regulators, some groups have expressed concerns that the ingredient could cause DNA damage or weaken immune systems if consumed in large quantities.

This news brief is based on reporting published by Food Dive on 2026-06-29. The original report is linked below.