The quick answer is no, Doritos are not considered a dairy product. Doritos are a popular brand of tortilla chips made by Frito-Lay that contain no dairy ingredients.
Ingredients in Doritos
The main ingredients in original Doritos tortilla chips are:
- Corn
- Vegetable oil (corn, soybean, and/or sunflower oil)
- Maltodextrin (made from corn)
- Salt
- Cheddar cheese flavoring
- Whey
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- Buttermilk solids
- Romano cheese (part skim cow’s milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes)
- Whey protein concentrate
- Onion powder
- Corn flour
- Dextrose
- Tomato powder
- Lactose
- Disodium inosinate
- Disodium guanylate
- Natural and artificial flavors
- Citric acid
- Sugar
- Garlic powder
- Skim milk
- Red and green bell pepper powder
- Malic acid
- Butter milk powder
- Cheddar cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes)
- Sodium caseinate
Why Doritos Don’t Contain Dairy
While Doritos contain some dairy-derived ingredients like whey, whey protein concentrate, milk derivatives, and cheese flavors, the main ingredients are corn (the base of the tortilla chip) and oil. Any dairy ingredients are further down the ingredients list in small amounts for flavoring.
According to the FDA guidelines, for a product to be labeled a “dairy product” it must contain “not less than 50 percent dairy components.” Since the main components of Doritos are corn and oil, they do not meet the qualifications to be labeled a dairy product.
Small Amounts of Dairy-Derived Ingredients
Doritos include small amounts of the following dairy-derived ingredients:
- Whey – Byproduct of cheese making, added for flavor
- Buttermilk solids – Byproduct of butter making, added for flavor
- Romano cheese – Contains milk, added for flavor
- Whey protein concentrate – Byproduct of cheese making, added for texture
- Lactose – Milk sugar, added for flavor
- Skim milk – Added for flavor
- Buttermilk powder – Byproduct of butter making, added for flavor
- Cheddar cheese – Contains milk, added for flavor
- Sodium caseinate – Milk protein, added for texture
As you can see, any dairy-derived ingredients in Doritos serve the purpose of adding flavor or improving texture, but dairy is not a main component of the chips.
Negligible Amounts of Dairy
The dairy-derived ingredients in Doritos make up a very small percentage of the overall chip. According to Frito-Lay, here is the maximum percentage of milk ingredients in Doritos:
| Ingredient | Max % |
|---|---|
| Whey | 2% |
| Buttermilk Solids | 1% |
| Romano Cheese | 1% |
| Lactose | 1% |
| Skim Milk | 1% |
| Buttermilk Powder | 1% |
| Cheddar Cheese | 1% |
| Sodium Caseinate | 1% |
| Total dairy-derived | 9% max |
As shown, even the maximum amount of dairy ingredients would make up less than 10% of the total product. Most of the chip consists of corn, oil, and other flavorings.
Negligible Amounts of Lactose
One of the dairy-derived ingredients in Doritos is lactose, the sugar found in milk. However, the amount of lactose per serving is negligible:
- 1 ounce (28g) serving of Doritos contains about 0.2g of lactose
- The average lactose tolerance level is 12g of lactose
With only 0.2g of lactose per serving, and considering that an average serving size of chips is closer to 10 chips or about 15g, Doritos are considered lactose-free. The miniscule amount of lactose per chip is unlikely to cause issues for those with lactose intolerance.
Suitable for Non-Dairy Diets
Given the tiny amounts of dairy-derived ingredients, Doritos are generally considered suitable for vegan diets. However, it’s important to note that cross-contamination with milk products can occur during manufacturing. Frito-Lay does not guarantee their products to be milk-free.
Those with severe milk allergies need to be cautious about consuming Doritos and should check the allergen information for their specific product. But in general, the negligible amounts of dairy make Doritos suitable for those avoiding milk for dietary preferences or lactose intolerance.
Not Nutritionally Equivalent to Dairy
While Doritos contain traces of dairy-derived ingredients like milk solids, whey, and cheese, these are added only for flavor. The chips lack the full nutritional profile of true dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese.
Doritos provide none of the calcium, vitamin D, protein, and other nutrients found abundantly in dairy products. So they should not be considered an alternative to real dairy foods in the diet.
Conclusion
In summary, Doritos chips contain only trace amounts of dairy-derived ingredients, making up less than 10% of the overall product. The main ingredients are corn and vegetable oil. Since the dairy components are negligible compared to the base ingredients, Doritos cannot be considered dairy products. The small amount of dairy-derived ingredients are added only for flavor and texture.
While not completely free of milk-derived ingredients, Doritos contain such small amounts that they can generally be safely consumed by those avoiding dairy for medical or dietary reasons. However, those with severe milk allergies should exercise caution. Nutritionally, Doritos lack the full nutrient profile of real dairy products and should not be considered equivalents in the diet.
