Gatorade Recall 2026: Affected Products, Safety Advice, and What to Do

Updated October 6, 2026: PepsiCo’s Gatorade notice lists a limited recall of select 28-ounce bottles because some bottles contain Yellow 5 or Yellow 6 that is not declared on the ingredient label. The four affected products are Gatorade Lemon Lime, Gatorade Zero Lemon Lime, Gatorade Orange, and Gatorade Zero Orange. The recall is limited to the exact best-taste dates and production codes below; a matching flavor alone does not mean a bottle is recalled.

If you have one of the listed bottles, do not drink it. Compare the bottle’s flavor, 28-ounce size, printed “Best Taste” date, and production code with the table. If all relevant details match, keep it separate from other drinks and contact the retailer or Gatorade for return or refund instructions. This guide reflects the manufacturer notice available on October 6, 2026; check the live notice before acting because recall information can be updated.

Which Gatorade products are affected?

Gatorade says the label discrepancy affects only certain 28-ounce, single-serve bottles in four flavors. The ingredient label omits Yellow 5 from Lemon Lime and Zero Lemon Lime, and Yellow 6 from Orange and Zero Orange. PepsiCo’s recall notice says no other Gatorade products are included in this action. The products are identified by both a best-taste date and a production code, so check both fields rather than relying on the color of the drink or the front label.

The table reproduces the product and code pairs in Gatorade’s official recall notice. “Best Taste” dates use the format printed in that notice. A bottle with a different date or production code is not identified there as part of this recall, even if it has the same flavor. If a code is smudged or hard to read, ask Gatorade or the store to check it; do not guess.

Why was the recall issued?

The notice describes a labeling discrepancy: the ingredient panel does not declare a color additive present in the affected products. It does not say that every Gatorade drink, every bottle in these flavors, or the beverage category is affected. Nor does the notice identify contamination, foreign material, or a formula issue across the full product line. The practical issue is that a consumer who checks labels to avoid a color additive may not be able to identify it from the label on a matching bottle.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) explains that color additives must be declared on food labels by their listed names or appropriate abbreviations. FDA says reactions to color additives are rare, while Yellow 5 can cause itching and hives in some people. The agency’s general information on color additive safety is not a prediction about an individual’s response to a particular bottle. People with a known sensitivity or other concern should avoid a confirmed recalled product and ask a health professional for personal advice.

What to do if you have a matching bottle

1. Stop before opening or drinking it. A sealed cap does not rule out a matching lot. Put the bottle aside so no one else in the household drinks it.
2. Check all four identifiers. Confirm that the bottle is 28 ounces, one of the four listed flavors, and that both its best-taste date and production code match one row above.
3. Follow current return instructions. Contact the store where it was purchased or Gatorade Consumer Relations before discarding it if you want refund or return guidance. Gatorade lists phone support at 1-800-884-2867, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Keep the package available so the representative can verify the code.
4. Keep it away from children and pets. Do not pour it into another container or give it to someone else. If the manufacturer or retailer tells you to discard it, follow their instructions and dispose of the bottle safely.

Do not rely on an online rumor, a product photo, or a state list alone to decide whether your individual bottle is included. Distribution details may vary, and an exact date-and-code match is the clearest check in the manufacturer’s notice. If the product details do not match, the notice does not identify that bottle as recalled; you can still contact the company if the code is unclear or the bottle has another defect.

If someone already drank it

First, identify the bottle and note approximately how much was consumed and when. The FDA notes that allergic-type reactions to color additives are rare; possible symptoms for Yellow 5 include itching and hives. If someone has a mild symptom, stop further exposure and contact a health professional or poison-control service for advice, especially if the person has a history of reactions. Do not try to induce vomiting.

Get emergency help right away for trouble breathing, throat or tongue swelling, fainting, or other signs of a severe allergic reaction. MedlinePlus describes anaphylaxis as an emergency and advises calling 911 or the local emergency number for severe symptoms. Follow an existing clinician-provided emergency plan, including prescribed epinephrine, if applicable. A person who drank a matching product but feels well should not assume illness is inevitable; use the product notice and personal medical advice to decide what to do next.

How to interpret the FDA recall class

The FDA’s Enforcement Report system is where the agency publishes and updates classified food recalls. The Gatorade action appears in current recall reporting under FDA recall number H-0009-2027 as a Class II recall. FDA defines Class II as a situation in which exposure may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences, or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote. That classification describes the agency’s assessment for the recall; it does not mean that every exposed person will have a reaction, and it is not a substitute for medical advice.

FDA notes that its classification can come after a company has already begun a voluntary recall. For this reason, the manufacturer’s product-and-code instructions are the immediate tool for identifying bottles, while the FDA Enforcement Reports are useful for checking later status changes. The FDA says not all recall notices appear on its consumer recall page, so the company notice and FDA enforcement search should be checked together when details are important.

How to know you have checked correctly

You have completed the product check when you can read and compare the bottle’s product name, 28-ounce size, best-taste date, and production code against a single row in the table. If there is an exact match, keep the bottle out of use and follow retailer or Gatorade instructions. If there is no exact match, the official notice reviewed for this article does not list that product code; check the live notice again if you are reading this later because codes and recall status can change.

As of October 6, 2026, the manufacturer’s notice is limited to the 16 date-and-code combinations above across four 28-ounce products. This article does not provide a complete store-by-store distribution list, and it cannot verify the code on a bottle you own. The official recall notice remains the authority for matching a specific product.