If you love to snack, you are probably familiar with the bright-colored Doritos brand. These chips make headlines each year for their creative advertising campaigns. In addition, the brand’s marketing skills have made Doritos one of the most popular chips in the United States. With their wide range of flavors and products, it’s no wonder Doritos are so loved.
But are Doritos safe for those on a gluten-free diet? This post will dive into the question, are Doritos gluten-free?
What Are Doritos?
The origin story of Doritos is quite interesting. The tortilla chip was initially made for a restaurant at Disneyland in 1964! However, it became such a hit that Doritos became a solo act and has now grown into one of the biggest chip brands.
Initially, Doritos did not have all of the fun flavors. They were plain tortilla chips! After a few years, the brand introduced flavors like Toasted Corn and Nacho Cheese. These days Doritos have numerous flavors, but Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch are their most popular flavors.
Be sure to check out whether other snacks are gluten free on my snack list.
Answer: Are Doritos Gluten Free?
Short answer – it’s complicated.
Frito-Lay states on their website that most Doritos products do not have gluten-containing ingredients, but they are not tested for gluten levels. Since Doritos are not tested for gluten, they cannot be legally labeled as gluten-free. That means there is no real way of knowing if Doritos have been cross-contaminated with gluten.
Many different products are manufactured at the same facilities as Doritos. Though the machines are cleaned between each production batch, there is no way to verify if there is still gluten on the machines. A product is deemed gluten-free if it has less than 20 ppm of gluten. Still, since Doritos are not tested for gluten, Frito-Lays cannot guarantee that Doritos are gluten-free.
If you have a low gluten sensitivity and cross-contamination does not affect you, Doritos should be safe to eat. However, even if you have gluten sensitivity, it is always best to check the ingredient list to ensure there are no gluten-containing ingredients.
For those with Celiac disease or gluten allergies, it is best to steer clear of Doritos since there is no clear answer on whether they are gluten-free. The only gluten-free flavor of Doritos is the Simply Organic White Cheddar Flavored Tortilla Chips. Luckily, there are many gluten-free alternatives to Doritos that you can enjoy!
Doritos do contain MSG, so be sure to read Is MSG Gluten Free?
Are Cool Ranch Doritos Gluten Free?
Cool Ranch Doritos do not have gluten-containing ingredients but are not certified gluten-free.
Are Nacho Cheese Doritos Gluten Free?
Like Cool Ranch, Nacho Cheese Doritos are also not labeled gluten-free. They may have come across cross-contamination but don’t include gluten-based ingredients.
Gluten Free Doritos Alternatives:
- Simply Organic White Cheddar Flavored Tortilla Chips (Doritos)
- Paqui
- Late July corn chips
- Siete tortilla chips
- Beanitos
Most Doritos do not have gluten-containing ingredients but are not tested for levels of gluten. This means they may have been affected by gluten cross-contamination. Therefore, those with celiac disease or high sensitivity to gluten should avoid eating Doritos.
You can read about more snacks like Are Ruffles Gluten Free?
