PepsiCo has yanked more than 122,000 cases of Gatorade from shelves across 37 states after discovering undisclosed food dyes in four popular flavors.
The voluntary recall, initiated Sept. 25 by the beverage giant, covers 28-ounce bottles of Gatorade Lemon Lime, Gatorade Lemon Lime Zero, Gatorade Orange and Gatorade Orange Zero, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Parent company PepsiCo acted after internal testing found Yellow No. 5 and/or Yellow No. 6 in the products without proper labeling.
The FDA slapped the recall with a Class II designation, signaling what the agency calls “mid-level” probability for serious adverse health consequences. Color additives used in food, drugs, cosmetics and select medical devices require FDA approval and must adhere to strict specifications on permitted uses and restrictions, the agency noted.
Consumers with sensitivities face particular risk. The undeclared dyes can trigger mild rashes or allergic-type asthma in people who have reactions to aspirin or yellow food dyes, the FDA warned. Anyone who purchased the affected bottles should not drink them, especially if they have known dye allergies.
The contaminated products reached stores in Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.
Shoppers holding recalled bottles can return them to retailers for what the FDA indicated would likely be a full refund. Those unable to secure refunds should seal the products in a trash container to prevent access by people or animals.
The recall totals 122,021 individual cases, all in the 28-ounce bottle size. The FDA did not issue a formal press release about the action, instead posting recall notice details to its public database where consumers can locate specific product codes to check against their purchases.
Color additives have long drawn regulatory scrutiny. The FDA maintains that approved dyes must comply with “the approved uses, specifications, and restrictions” for each application, a standard the Gatorade products failed to meet through their labeling omissions.
PepsiCo has not publicly commented beyond the voluntary recall filing.