Gatorade ingredients: what's banned overseas?

About Gatorade

Gatorade, the world's leading sports drink, has faced scrutiny for its ingredient profile. US Gatorade historically contained brominated vegetable oil (BVO) as an emulsifier — a substance never approved in the EU or UK. PepsiCo removed BVO from Gatorade in 2013 following consumer petitions. Current US Gatorade still contains various synthetic dyes including Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Blue 1, depending on the flavor. These dyes require hyperactivity warning labels in the EU and UK.

Common concerns with Gatorade products

{"ingredient_slug":"bvo","ingredient_name":"Brominated Vegetable Oil","found_in_product":"Gatorade (US — historic, removed 2013)","concern":"BVO was an emulsifier used to keep citrus flavoring distributed. Never approved in EU/UK; FDA revoked authorization in 2024. Linked to bromine toxicity at high consumption."}; {"ingredient_slug":"red-dye-40","ingredient_name":"Red 40","found_in_product":"Fruit Punch Gatorade, Strawberry Lemonade (US)","concern":"EU/UK hyperactivity warning; FDA voluntary phase-out in progress."}; {"ingredient_slug":"yellow-dye-5","ingredient_name":"Yellow 5","found_in_product":"Lemon-Lime Gatorade (US)","concern":"EU/UK warning required; not used in EU sports drink equivalents."}; {"ingredient_slug":"blue-dye-1","ingredient_name":"Blue 1","found_in_product":"Cool Blue Gatorade (US)","concern":"EU hyperactivity warning required."}