A food scientist explains why Doritos are the perfect snack

Hollis Johnson

Doritos are one of the most successful snack foods ever, with a market-leading $1.5 billion in annual sales in the US.

What makes them so good? Food scientist Steven Witherly explained "the perfect snack food" at length in his book, "Why Humans Like Junk Food."

We break down the highlights — with mouthwatering glamour shots — below.

INTOXICATING FLAVOR. That red powder is high in salt and sugar — two major pleasure solutes — and loaded with flavor-boosters like MSG, disodium inosinate, and disodium guanylate. Not to mention garlic, Romano cheese, cheddar cheese, and more.

MOUTHWATERING MAGIC. The powder also contains acids (buttermilk solids, lactic acid, and citric acid) that trigger the release of saliva. That’s pleasurable in itself and also a factor that makes everything taste better.

HIGH DYNAMIC CONTRAST. Your brain is excited by the sensation of biting into a hard substance that quickly dissolves. This is also an example of vanishing caloric density, where food seems to disappear in your mouth, tricking your brain into wanting more.