PepsiCo recalled 28-ounce bottles of Gatorade Lemon Lime, Orange and their Zero versions in 37 states because the labels left off Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. The FDA lists 15 lot codes.
More than 122,000 cases of Gatorade are being recalled because the bottles contain yellow dyes the labels don’t mention.
PepsiCo is pulling about 122,021 cases of 28-ounce Gatorade in four flavors, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The labels left off Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6 or both.
No illnesses have been reported. For most people, it’s a labeling mistake and nothing more. For people who react to those dyes, it matters more.
Which Gatorade flavors are part of the recall?
Only the 28-ounce bottles of four flavors:
Gatorade Lemon Lime
Gatorade Lemon Lime Zero
Gatorade Orange
Gatorade Orange Zero
Other sizes and other flavors aren’t included. The recalled bottles have best-by dates from April to June 2027.
Gatorade recall lot codes
The FDA’s notice lists 15 lot codes. If the code on your 28-ounce bottle matches one of these, it’s part of the recall.
072226 DT, 072426 TL, 072726 TL, 072926 TL, 073026 TL, 073126 TL, 080126 DL, 081026 TL, 082026 DL, 082126 OA, 082526 KM, 083126 DT, 090426 KM, 091026 DL and 091126 DL.
For a few of them, the best-by dates are known. Lot 072226 DT is marked April 18, 2027. Lot 091026 DL is June 7, 2027, and lot 091126 DL is June 8, 2027.
Which states got the recalled Gatorade?
The bottles went to 37 states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.
Just as useful is who’s missing. None of New England is on the list, and neither are Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Oregon, Montana or Wyoming. That’s 13 states where these bottles weren’t shipped.
Is the recalled Gatorade dangerous?
The FDA put it in Class II, its middle tier. That means drinking it “may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences,” in the agency’s words.
The FDA requires Yellow 5 to be listed on labels because a small number of people have allergic-type reactions to it. People who are sensitive to aspirin are more likely to be among them, and for some that can mean wheezing or an asthma flare.
So if you or your kid has that sensitivity, stop drinking any bottle that matches. Trouble breathing or swelling in the face after drinking one means getting medical help right away.
Everyone else can mostly relax. The dyes in these bottles are dyes Gatorade has used for years. They just weren’t on the label.
What should you do with recalled Gatorade?
Check your 28-ounce bottles of those four flavors against the lot codes above. If one matches, don’t drink it, and contact the store where you bought it or Gatorade’s customer service about a refund.
PepsiCo hasn’t said publicly how refunds will work. The company didn’t respond to a request for comment from CBS News, and it hasn’t explained how the mix-up happened.
When did the Gatorade recall start?
PepsiCo started the recall on Sept. 25. The FDA classified it on Oct. 2, and it didn’t make headlines until the weekend of Oct. 4.
That’s about 10 days between the recall starting and most shoppers hearing about it.
It also landed with an early number. The recall is H-0009-2027, one of the first the FDA logged in its 2027 fiscal year, which began Oct. 1.
Gatorade was already dropping artificial colors from these flavors
On April 16, 2026, Gatorade announced that three of its top ready-to-drink flavors, Fruit Punch, Lemon Lime and Orange, would move away from artificial FD&C colors “later this fall.” Colors from fruits and vegetables were set to replace them, in both regular Gatorade and Gatorade Zero.
“We’re on a journey to remove artificial colors from our product portfolio,” the company said at the time.
Two of those three flavors are the ones in this recall. Whether the label mix-up has anything to do with that switch, PepsiCo hasn’t said.
Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Oct. 2, 2026), recall H-0009-2027 classification, products and lot codes
PepsiCo (April 16, 2026), Gatorade’s plan to move Fruit Punch, Lemon Lime and Orange away from artificial colors
CBS News (Oct. 5, 2026), the 37-state distribution list, recall dates and PepsiCo’s lack of comment
KPRC Click2Houston (Oct. 5, 2026), case count and best-by dates matched to lot codes
Medical Daily (Oct. 5, 2026), the full lot list and FDA guidance on Yellow 5 sensitivity
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