Is Gatorade Zero Cool Blue ultra-processed?

20 FL OZ (1.25 PT) 591 ML Sold in the United States

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Flavouring
Modified starch
E133 Brilliant blue FCF
E955 Sucralose

13 ingredients
5 additives
Nutri-Score D

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

Water, citric acid, natural flavor (ultra-processing marker), sodium citrate, salt (processing marker), potassium phosphate, modified food starch (ultra-processing marker), sucralose (ultra-processing marker), acesulfame, potassium, mixed triglycerides, glycerol ester of rosin, blue 1 (ultra-processing marker)

Additives: E133 Brilliant blue FCF , E330 Citric acid , E331 Sodium citrates , E340 Potassium phosphates , E955 Sucralose

As written on the pack

Water, citric acid, natural flavor, sodium citrate, salt, potassium phosphate, modified food starch, sucralose, acesulfame, potassium, mixed triglycerides, glycerol ester of rosin, blue 1.

What makes it ultra-processed

Cosmetic additives

Added to change how the food looks, feels or tastes, not to keep it safe. A hallmark of ultra-processed food.

E133 Brilliant blue FCF Brilliant blue FCF is a synthetic blue dye, listed in the US as FD&C Blue No. 1.
E955 Sucralose Sucralose is a sweetener made by chlorinating sugar.
Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
Modified starch Modified starch is starch altered physically, with enzymes or chemically, so that it thickens, gels or survives freezing and heating better than ordinary starch.

2 ingredients that would only make it processed

Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.

Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.

How the NOVA groups work

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0052000047066, last edited 15 May 2026), available under the Open Database License. If something is wrong or the recipe has changed, you can correct it there.
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0.
The NOVA group is an automated estimate from crowdsourced data: a missing or mistyped ingredient can change it.
NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of D (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.