The question is, are Doritos gluten-free? The answer though is not as clear. Find out if this popular snack from Frito-Lay is considered gluten-free and whether or not Doritos toasted corn tortilla chips are safe to eat on a gluten-free diet or for those with gluten sensitivities.
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Straight o the Point: Are Doritos Gluten-Free?
The quick answer is only one flavor of Doritos is validated gluten-free with a gluten-free label on the bag, that flavor is Doritos Simply Organic White Cheddar Flavored Tortilla Chips.
Most other flavors of Doritos do not contain gluten-ingredients, but they are not validated by Frito-Lay to be gluten-free. Frito-Lay claims there is a potential for cross contamination during manufacturing.
Gluten-Free vs. Products Not Containing Gluten Ingredients
In the U.S., Doritos are made by the Frito-Lay company. As far as gluten, the Frito Lay website separates their products into two categories: Gluten-Free Products and Products Not Containing Gluten Ingredients.
- Gluten Free: According to the company, products with the words gluten-free on the packaging have been validated through analytical testing to contain less than 20 ppm of gluten.
- Products that do not contain gluten ingredients: According to Frito-Lay, while products in this category do not contain gluten ingredients, some of these products may be manufactured on the same lines as products that do contain gluten.
Although they state that there is a thorough cleaning of the lines between production runs, Frito-Lay has not tested these products for gluten content.
Also, Frito-Lay states the ingredients in these products may have come into contact with gluten-containing products prior to manufacturing.
Ingredients in Doritos
The ingredient list for the original Doritos Nacho Cheese Flavor is as follows:
Corn, Vegetable Oil (Corn, Canola, And/or Sunflower Oil), Maltodextrin (Made From Corn), Salt, Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Whey, Monosodium Glutamate, Buttermilk, Romano Cheese (Part-skim Cow's Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Whey Protein Concentrate, Onion Powder, Corn Flour, Natural And Artificial Flavor, Dextrose, Tomato Powder, Lactose, Spices, Artificial Color (Yellow 6, Yellow 5, And Red 40), Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Sugar, Garlic Powder, Skim Milk, Red And Green Bell Pepper Powder, Disodium Inosinate, And Disodium Guanylate. CONTAINS MILK INGREDIENTS.
Do Doritos Have Gluten?
To date, most of the Doritos flavors do no 'have gluten' in them. Currently, Frito Lay lists only one gluten-free product that has been validated gluten-free by them. (Please, click this link for the official Frito Lay list of products which will always be up to date.)
The flavor with a gluten-free claim on the label is from their organic line of products:
DORITOS® Simply Organic White Cheddar Flavored Tortilla Chips
This flavor has been validated by Frito-Lay to contain less than 20ppm of gluten.
These other flavors of Doritios fall into the 'products that do not contain gluten ingredients' category. This includes all of these varieties:
DORITOS® 3D Crunch Chili Cheese Nacho Flavored Corn Snacks
DORITOS® 3D Crunch Spicy Ranch Flavored Corn Snacks
DORITOS® Cool Ranch® Flavored Tortilla Chips
DORITOS® Dinamita® Chile Limón Flavored Rolled Tortilla Chips
DORITOS® Flamas™ Flavored Tortilla Chips
DORITOS® Flamin' Hot® Limon Flavored Tortilla Chips
DORITOS® Flamin' Hot® Nacho Flavored Tortilla Chips
DORITOS® Nacho Cheese Flavored Tortilla Chips
DORITOS® Salsa Verde Flavored Tortilla Chips
DORITOS® Simply Organic Spicy White Cheddar Flavored Tortilla Chips
DORITOS® Spicy Nacho Flavored Tortilla Chips
DORITOS® Taco Flavored Tortilla Chips
DORITOS® Tapatio® Flavored Tortilla Chips
While technically, these Doritos do not contain gluten ingredients, they have not been validated by Frito-Lay to contain less than 20ppm of gluten, so they are not labeled gluten-free.
Are Doritos Safe to Eat For Celiac?
The only variety that is known to be gluten-free and safe to eat is the Organic White Cheddar, which is validated by Frito-Lay.
The answer to the question of whether or not the other Doritos flavors are safe to eat on a gluten-free diet is not as clear.
It depends on why you are gluten-free and your level of gluten sensitivity. Frito-Lay states that there is a possibility that Doritos could be contaminated with gluten and states that individuals who are sensitive to gluten should take the above factors into consideration before consuming these products.
If you have Celiac disease like I do, have a highly sensitive gluten intolerance, or gluten allergy, the truth is you likely can eat those Doritos without an issue but there is also a small chance that you could get a bag of Doritos that have been contaminated with gluten either before or during production.
Ultimately, there are no gluten-containing ingredients but Frito-Lay is not validating those products. If you do eat them, you are assuming some potential risk for gluten consumption.
Just how much risk? Unfortunately, no one really knows for sure! This could just be Frito-Lay covering their liability all the while knowing the potential risk for cross-contamination (actually cross-contact) is low. Or the risk could actually be quite prevalent and you really should take that into consideration. We just don't know.
Gluten-Free Doritos Options
Given this information (or lack thereof), if you are highly sensitive to gluten with celiac disease or other gluten intolerance and you feel more comfortable avoiding the varieties of Doritos not labeled gluten-free, you can stick to the one that is, or seek out another safe alternative.
Several grocery stores near me sell gluten-free 'faux-ritos' through their private label brands:
- Walmart sells two varieties labeled gluten-free, nacho cheese and hot nacho.
- Target sells certified gluten-free nacho cheese tortilla chips.
- Kroger sells ranch and nacho cheese, both labeled gluten-free.
Check your local grocery store for their options! Here are a few more flavored tortilla chip options, also labeled gluten-free, from these brands:
Do you have a favorite gluten-free ‘Dorito’ brand that isn’t listed? Let me know in the comments! Happy Snacking!
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Gluten-Free Doritos FAQ
Nacho Cheese Doritos do not contain gluten ingredients. While there are no gluten-containing ingredients, Frito-Lay does not validate this product as gluten-free. They also claim there is a potential for cross-contamination during or before manufacturing.
Frito-Lay carries one Doritos product with a gluten-free claim on the label, Doritos Simply Organic White Cheddar Flavored Tortilla Chips.
Cool Ranch Doritos do not contain gluten ingredients. While there are no gluten-containing ingredients, Frito-Lay does not validate this product as gluten-free. The company also claims there is a potential for cross-contamination during or before manufacturing.
Flamin' Hot Doritos do not contain gluten ingredients. While there are no gluten-containing ingredients, Frito-Lay does not validate this product as gluten-free. The company also claims there is a potential for cross-contamination during or before manufacturing.
Doritos has to lime flavored products that do not contain gluten ingredients, Chile Limón and Flamin' Hot Limon Flavored Tortilla Chips. While there are no gluten-containing ingredients, Frito-Lay does not validate this product as gluten-free. The company also claims there is a potential for cross-contamination during or before manufacturing.
Someone with celiac disease or highly sensitive to gluten may want to choose the only official Dorito flavor labeled gluten-free, the Doritos Simply Organic White Cheddar Flavored Tortilla Chips.
Other flavors may not contain gluten-ingredients but are not validated to be gluten-free by Frito Lay. These flavors may be subject to cross-contamination during the production process.
There are several other brands, including store-brands, that do carry a style of Doritos chips that are labeled gluten-free as well.
Frito-Lay carries one Doritos product with a gluten-free claim on the label, Doritos Simply Organic White Cheddar Flavored Tortilla Chips.
Other flavors may not contain gluten-ingredients but are not validated to be gluten-free by Frito Lay. These flavors may be subject to cross-contamination during the production process.
Gain access to our FREE exclusive mini-series:
Gluten-Free Baking and Lessons Learned!
Plus, be the first to know about new recipes and exciting announcements!
📩 Sign up for the Mini-Series Here! 📩
Disclaimer: The information in this article is the personal opinion of the author and for educational purposes only. This is not medical or nutritional advice. Please consult a doctor or medical professional before making changes to your diet or regarding any health related decisions. Ingredient information was accurate at the time of posting but should always be verified by the consumer by checking the product ingredient label for the most up to date information.
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