More than 122,000 cases of Gatorade are being recalled across 37 states after the FDA found that some 28-ounce bottles contained Yellow No. 5 and Yellow No. 6, even though neither dye was listed on the label.
Four products are affected: Gatorade Lemon Lime, Lemon Lime Zero, Orange, and Orange Zero. Only the 28-ounce bottle is included, so other sizes are not part of the recall. The FDA’s recall number is H-0009-2027, and 15 lot codes are covered, with best-by dates running from April to June 2027. The lot codes are 091026 DL, 091126 DL, 072226 DT, 072426 TL, 073126 TL, 072926 TL, 073026 TL, 081026 TL, 082126 OA, 080126 DL, 082026 DL, 083126 DT, 082526 KM, 090426 KM and 072726 TL. Check the lot code and best-by date on your bottle against that list.
The bottles were distributed in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas, and California, along with 31 other states.
The FDA gave the Gatorade recall a Class II designation, the second tier of its three recall categories. In plain terms, that means using the product may cause temporary or medically reversible health problems, and the chance of serious harm is considered remote. Class I is reserved for situations where there is a reasonable probability of serious injury, illness, or death.
Both dyes are legal. The FDA approves Yellow No. 5, also called tartrazine, and Yellow No. 6, known as Sunset Yellow FCF, for use in food. The problem is the missing label. Federal rules require these dyes to be listed, and people with known dye sensitivities or a history of allergic reactions depend on that list to decide what they drink.
The recall lands months after PepsiCo announced plans to remove artificial colors from the Fruit Punch, Lemon Lime and Orange flavors of both Gatorade Thirst Quencher and Gatorade Zero by fall 2026, swapping in colors made from fruits and vegetables. Mike Del Pozzo, president of PepsiCo Beverages U.S., said in April that the company wants to keep “the bold Gatorade color people know and love” through the change. PepsiCo has not explained how the labeling error happened, and no link between the Gatorade recall and the color switch has been confirmed.
The shift follows a push from Washington. In April 2025, federal health officials announced plans to work with the food industry on a voluntary phase-out of six synthetic dyes, including Yellow No. 5 and Yellow No. 6, by the end of 2026. Both dyes remain legal. PepsiCo says it is on track to remove artificial colors from its entire portfolio by the end of 2027, a year after that federal target.
Gatorade has turned up in a recall before, though under different circumstances. On December 26, 2025, the FDA announced a recall by Gold Star Distribution, a company whose Minnesota storage facility was found to be unsanitary and contaminated with animal waste. The recall covered about 2,000 products, including Pringles, Nutella, Cheetos, and Gatorade, that went to 50 stores in Indiana, Minnesota, and North Dakota. The FDA moved it to Class II on Jan. 22, 2026. That recall involved a distributor’s storage conditions, not how Gatorade itself was made or labeled.
Shoppers who bought the affected bottles can return them to the store where they were purchased or call the customer service number printed on the packaging. PepsiCo did not immediately respond to CBS News when asked whether customers are eligible for refunds.
