WASHINGTON, DC — More than 122,000 cases of Gatorade are being voluntarily recalled because some bottles contain undeclared food dyes, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The recall covers several 28-ounce versions of the sports drink sold under the Lemon Lime, Lemon Lime Zero, Orange and Orange Zero labels.
The FDA said the affected products were distributed in more than two dozen states. Consumers who bought the drinks are being told to check the lot dates carefully, since only certain production runs are included in the action.
Which Gatorade bottles are included in the recall
The recall applies to 28-ounce bottles that did not declare the presence of Yellow No. 6 and/or Yellow No. 5 on the label. The FDA said the affected lot dates fall between April 2027, May 2027 and June 2027.
A full list of the lot dates and the states where the drinks were shipped is available on the FDA website. That means not every bottle of these flavors is affected, only the specific lots identified by the agency.
Gatorade Lemon Lime, Gatorade Lemon Lime Zero, Gatorade Orange and Gatorade Orange Zero are the products named in the recall notice.
Why the FDA classified the recall as Class II
The recall was initiated on Sept. 25 and later classified by the FDA on Oct. 2 as a Class II recall. That classification is used when exposure to the product may cause temporary or medically reversible health problems, while the chance of serious harm is considered remote.
In its notice, the agency said the products may have been labeled incorrectly because the dyes were not declared. The recall does not indicate that most consumers will have a severe reaction, but it does mean the labeling issue was serious enough to prompt federal action.
What health effects the dyes may cause for some consumers
The FDA said possible side effects from the undeclared dyes could include a mild rash or allergic-type asthma. Those reactions are uncommon in the general population, the agency noted.
People with aspirin allergies may be more likely to experience a reaction than the general public. The agency’s warning reflects that some color additives can trigger sensitivity in a limited number of consumers even though they are commonly used in processed foods and beverages.
How food dyes are used in drinks and processed foods
The FDA said color additives are widely used in packaged foods and drinks for several reasons. They can restore color to products that have faded, make colorless foods look more appealing, or even out differences caused by light, air, moisture or temperature.
That broad use helps explain why the presence of food dyes in a beverage is not unusual. In this case, however, the issue was not the use of the additives themselves, but the failure to list them on the product label.
PepsiCo has been asked for comment as customers are told to verify lot information
ABC News said it reached out to PepsiCo, which owns Gatorade, for comment. The company has not been quoted in the public notice included with the recall details.
Consumers who have the affected drinks can compare their bottles against the FDA’s lot-date list to determine whether they are part of the recall. Because the action spans multiple states and several flavor varieties, checking the lot code is the clearest way to confirm whether a bottle is included.
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