Doritos Cool Original Tortilla Chips, 44g

Cool Original is the blue Doritos: corn tortilla chips with a tangy, creamy seasoning in the style of a soured cream and herb dip. This is the 44g grab bag, one bag and one serving by the pack. The full product name on the pack is Cool Original Flavour Corn Chips.

The ingredients

According to the published pack listing, the chips are made from corn (maize), rapeseed oil, a Cool Original flavour seasoning and antioxidants: rosemary extract, ascorbic acid, a tocopherol rich extract and citric acid. The seasoning lists salt, flavouring (containing milk), acids (malic acid, sodium acetates and citric acid), flavour enhancers (monosodium glutamate and disodium 5'-ribonucleotide), sugar, glucose syrup, onion powder, cheese powder, garlic powder, tomato powder, potassium chloride, spices, milk protein and annatto bixin for colour.

Cool means tangy

The cool in the name is a taste, not a temperature: a soured, creamy tang with no chilli in the list. The listing describes it as a sour cream flavour.

Three acids

Sodium acetates, the salts of the acid in vinegar, give a gentle soured tang; malic acid, the acid of sharp apples, and citric acid brighten it. Between them, the three acids are what make the flavour taste cool.

The creamy side

A flavouring containing milk, cheese powder and milk protein supply the creaminess, and glucose syrup and sugar round off the acids so the tang is not harsh.

Onion, garlic and spices

Onion and garlic powders, tomato powder and spices complete the picture of a soured cream and herb dip.

The flavour enhancers

Monosodium glutamate and disodium 5'-ribonucleotide are listed. Glutamate is the compound behind the savoury taste of tomatoes and cheese, and the ribonucleotide mix strengthens it.

The colour

Annatto bixin, from the seeds of the achiote tree, is the only colour listed. The listing says there are no artificial colours or flavours.

Corn and rapeseed oil

Corn (maize) is the first ingredient, cooked into triangles in rapeseed oil, the only oil on the list. The pack calls them corn chips.

Numbers for one bag

The pack gives 211 kcal (882 kJ), 9.7g of fat, 0.9g of saturates, 27g of carbohydrate, 0.8g of sugars, 2.5g of fibre, 2.7g of protein and 0.48g of salt for the 44g bag. That is about 11% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake, 14% of the fat and 8% of the salt.

Numbers per 100g

Per 100g the label gives 479 kcal (2004 kJ), 22g of fat, 2g of saturates, 62g of carbohydrate, 1.9g of sugars, 5.6g of fibre, 6.1g of protein and 1.1g of salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 22g is red, as it is for fried tortilla chips generally. Saturates at 2g are amber, sugars at 1.9g are green and salt at 1.1g is amber.

Sugars

At 1.9g of sugars per 100g and 0.8g in the bag, Cool Original has the fewest sugars of the three grab bag flavours: Tangy Cheese has 3.7g per 100g and Chilli Heatwave 4.5g.

Allergens and diet

The published ingredients highlight milk, in the flavouring, the cheese powder and the milk protein. The allergy advice says the chips may contain soya, wheat and other cereals containing gluten. The listing says they are suitable for vegetarians; they are not vegan, because of the milk, and no gluten free claim is made. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

A grab bag

The front of the bag reads grab bag, and at 44g it holds about half as much again as a 30g multipack bag. It is one serving by the pack, so the numbers above are for the whole bag.

Why a corn chip

Corn gives a tortilla chip its sweet, toasted flavour and a denser, glassier crunch than a thin potato crisp, and the triangle is sturdy enough to scoop a dip.

Packed in a protective atmosphere

The listing says the chips are packaged in a protective atmosphere, which keeps oxygen away from the oil until the bag is opened.

Potassium chloride

Potassium chloride sits in the seasoning beside the salt. It tastes salty but contains no sodium, and the salt figure on a UK label is worked out from sodium.

Who it suits

Cool Original suits anyone who wants a tangy snack with no heat. With no chilli listed, it is the Doritos to pick for someone who finds spicy food too much. It is not suitable for anyone avoiding milk or MSG.

With a dip

A tomato salsa gives the tang some fruit and a little warmth, and a guacamole matches its creamy side.

In the kitchen

Crushed chips make a tangy crumb for chicken strips, or a crunchy layer over a taco salad.

Other sizes

We stock the same Cool Original chips in a 180g sharing bag and in a multipack of five 30g bags, and four Cool Original bags go into the Doritos Variety box. Tangy Cheese and Chilli Heatwave come in the same 44g grab bag.

Storage

The listing advises a cool, dry place. Finish the bag once it is open.

Sizes of Doritos Cool Original Tortilla Chips we stock

Figures as published on each pack's label.

The tasting notes on this page are our own editorial assessment against the current pack format and the brand's published description.