Gatorade Recall: Check These 28-Ounce Bottles for Undeclared Food Dyes

The problem is a labeling discrepancy.

According to PepsiCo, the affected Lemon Lime products contain Yellow 5, while the affected Orange products contain Yellow 6. Those dyes were not listed in the ingredient panels on the recalled bottles. PepsiCo says no other Gatorade products are included in this recall.

That matters because FDA rules require certified food colors such as Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 to be identified on food labels.

Not necessarily.

Both colors are permitted for use in food by the FDA when used according to applicable regulations. The issue with these Gatorade products is that the colors were present but not declared, meaning consumers who need or want to avoid them could not tell from the label that they were there.

The FDA says reactions to color additives are rare, although some people can have allergic-type reactions. For Yellow 5 specifically, the FDA notes that itching and hives can occur in some people. The FDA also says most children have no adverse effects from consuming foods containing approved color additives, although some children may be sensitive.

So this recall should not be interpreted as evidence that everyone who drank one of these Gatorade products is in danger.

The FDA's Class II designation means that exposure to the recalled product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences, or that the probability of serious adverse health consequences is considered remote.

That's an important distinction.

This is not a Class I recall, the FDA's highest-risk category. The reason for the recall is the presence of undeclared ingredients and the potential consequences for people who are sensitive to them.

The recall is limited to specific 28-ounce bottles and specific production codes and best-taste dates.

The affected products include the following:

Gatorade Lemon Lime — 28 oz.

• DL 091026 — JUN 07 27
• DL 091126 — JUN 08 27

Gatorade Lemon Lime Zero — 28 oz.

• DT 072226 — APR 18 27
• TL 072426 — APR 20 27
• TL 073126 — APR 27 27

Gatorade Orange — 28 oz.

• OA 082126 — APR 18 27
• OA 082326 — APR 18 27
• TL 072926 — APR 25 27
• TL 073026 — APR 25 27
• TL 081026 — MAY 07 27

Gatorade Orange Zero — 28 oz.

• TL 072726 — APR 23 27
• DL 080126 — APR 28 27
• DL 082026 — MAY 17 27
• KM 082526 — MAY 22 27
• KM 090426 — JUN 01 27

These codes and dates come directly from PepsiCo's recall information.

If you have one of these bottles, don't drink it until you've determined whether it matches the recall.

The simplest approach is:

Don't consume it.

Check the flavor, bottle size, production code and best-taste date against the recall list above. If they match, set the bottle aside and follow PepsiCo's recall instructions.

And don't assume that every bottle of Gatorade is affected. This recall is limited to the specific products and codes identified by PepsiCo.

There's a broader change happening with artificial food colors.

The FDA says it is working with manufacturers to eliminate six remaining certified petroleum-based color additives—including Yellow 5 and Yellow 6—from the U.S. food supply by the end of 2027. PepsiCo has separately committed to removing FD&C colors from its Gatorade Thirst Quencher and Gatorade Zero fruit punch, lemon lime and orange products in fall 2026.

That broader effort is separate from this recall. The recall exists because specific products contained undeclared colors; it does not mean those products were recalled simply because Yellow 5 or Yellow 6 are being phased out.

This isn't a reason to panic about Gatorade. It is a reason to check the bottle.

A product can contain an ingredient that is legally permitted in food and still be recalled because that ingredient wasn't properly disclosed on the label.

If you have 28-ounce Lemon Lime, Lemon Lime Zero, Orange or Orange Zero Gatorade at home, take a minute to check the production code and date. If it matches the list above, don't drink it.

That's exactly what a good recall notice is supposed to help you do: know whether the product in your refrigerator is actually the product being recalled.