Loading…
The US and international formulas are not the same— here's exactly what changed and why.
PepsiCo USA
| Ingredient | 🇺🇸 US Version | 🌍 International | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caramel Color Iv | ✅ Not present | ✅ Not present | Banned Overseas |
| Sodium Benzoate | ✅ Not present | ✅ Not present | Banned Overseas |
The same company makes both versions — but they use different formulas depending on where the product is sold. In the EU, UK, and Canada, regulations require either banning certain additives outright or mandating warning labels (e.g., "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children" for certain synthetic dyes).
Rather than print warning labels, most manufacturers reformulate the product for international markets — using natural colorants like paprika extract, beetroot concentrate, or spirulina instead of petroleum-derived synthetic dyes.
The US FDA has a different standard: it deems additives "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) based on older safety data, while EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority) applies stricter precautionary principles and requires manufacturers to prove safety rather than assume it.
US Pepsi Zero Sugar contains sodium benzoate alongside Class IV caramel color — a preservative that can react with vitamin C to form benzene, a known carcinogen. UK Pepsi Max avoids sodium benzoate due to UK consumer concerns and voluntary reformulation by PepsiCo. The caramel color in UK Pepsi Max is also subject to stricter EU-derived 4-MEI limits, meaning the same dark soda color is produced with meaningfully less of the potentially carcinogenic byproduct.
Find clean brands without these ingredients — organized by category.