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Mountain Dew
Barcode 01208500
AVOIDIs Mountain Dew safe?
Mountain Dew is rated AVOID by BannedPantry: its label lists 5 ingredients that are banned or restricted outside the US — Yellow 5 (EU (warning label required), UK (warning label required)); High Fructose Corn Syrup (EU (tax/restricted)); Sodium Benzoate (EU, UK); Acacia Gum; Calcium Disodium EDTA (EU, UK). All of them are still legal to sell in the US.
Flagged ingredients (5)
Yellow 5high
Banned or restricted in: EU (warning label required), UK (warning label required)
Southampton Six colour (tartrazine, E102): EU-AUTHORISED but foods must carry the label 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children'.
High Fructose Corn Syrupmedium
Banned or restricted in: EU (tax/restricted)
EU imposes production quotas and taxes on isoglucose; linked to obesity, insulin resistance, and fatty liver.
Sodium Benzoatemedium
Banned or restricted in: EU, UK
EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 permits sodium benzoate (E211) only in specified food categories at maximum levels and not in foods for infants/young children; benzene can form when benzoates and ascorbic acid co-occur.
Cleaner swaps for Mountain Dew
Same category, none of the flagged ingredients.
OLIPOP Cherry Vanilla Prebiotic Soda 12-pack
OLIPOP
Real fruit, fiber, no HFCS. 45 cal vs 250 in mainstream soda.
Poppi Strawberry Lemon Prebiotic Soda 12-pack
Poppi
Apple cider vinegar + real fruit juice. No artificial flavors.
Zevia Ginger Root Beer 24-pack
Zevia
Zero calorie, stevia sweetened, no caramel color IV.
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Full ingredient list
CARBONATED WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CONCENTRATED ORANGE JUICE CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR, SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVES FRESHNESS), CAFFEINE, SODIUM CITRATE, GUM ARABIC, ERYTHORBIC ACID (PRESERVES FRESHNESS) CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (TO PROTECT FLAVOR), YELLOW 5.
Common questions
Is Mountain Dew banned in the United States?
No — every ingredient in Mountain Dew is currently legal to sell in the US. However, Yellow 5, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sodium Benzoate, Acacia Gum, Calcium Disodium EDTA are banned or restricted in other regions: Yellow 5 (EU (warning label required), UK (warning label required)); High Fructose Corn Syrup (EU (tax/restricted)); Sodium Benzoate (EU, UK); Acacia Gum; Calcium Disodium EDTA (EU, UK).
Which ingredients in Mountain Dew are flagged?
Yellow 5: Southampton Six colour (tartrazine, E102): EU-AUTHORISED but foods must carry the label 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children'. High Fructose Corn Syrup: EU imposes production quotas and taxes on isoglucose; linked to obesity, insulin resistance, and fatty liver. Sodium Benzoate: EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 permits sodium benzoate (E211) only in specified food categories at maximum levels and not in foods for infants/young children; benzene can form when benzoates and ascorbic acid co-occur. Acacia Gum: Generally recognized as safe; excessive consumption may cause digestive distress. Plus 1 more — see the full list above.
What does the AVOID rating mean?
BannedPantry checks each labeled ingredient against food and cosmetic safety standards from the EU, UK, Canada, Japan, and California, with a citation for every flag. AVOID means at least one labeled ingredient is banned or restricted by a major overseas regulator, or is high-severity under our methodology. Ratings are never influenced by brands.
What can I buy instead of Mountain Dew?
Comparable products without the flagged ingredients include OLIPOP Cherry Vanilla Prebiotic Soda 12-pack (OLIPOP), Poppi Strawberry Lemon Prebiotic Soda 12-pack (Poppi), Zevia Ginger Root Beer 24-pack (Zevia). You can also scan any product's barcode free at https://bannedpantry.com to check it before you buy.
Run a full ingredient scan
See exactly which ingredients in Mountain Dew are banned overseas, with sources.
Scan now →BannedPantry — Our scores are never influenced by brands.