Earlier this month, a TikToker went viral after revealing the inside of what appeared to be a Gatorade production facility—and viewers, for the most part, were not impressed. At the time of writing, the video has generated a staggering 3.4 million views and nearly 189,000 likes, sparking a conversation in the comments section about industrial food production and the health risks sometimes associated with plastic packaging.
The clip, which was shared by @germanlopez141 on TikTok last Tuesday, featured on-screen text that read: "Did you know that Gatorade is made at 180 degree's [sic]."
The footage then showed a hand (presumably the TikToker's) grabbing a bottle of red Gatorade as it moves down a conveyor belt. They then open the bottle and pour its contents into a sink nearby. The liquid appears to be hot, releasing visible clouds of steam upon hitting the metal surface.
The idea that Gatorade would be heated for at least part of its production is not a surprising one. Pasteurization, the process by which harmful bacteria are killed by heating a food or beverage, is standard practice in the United States for treating countless dairy products and shelf-stable items.
Many beverages, in particular, are packaged using a technique known as "hot filling," which involves very briefly heating the product to pasteurize it, bottling it almost immediately to keep it sterile, and then rapidly cooling it to preserve its taste and other properties.
Some viewers—and the TikToker himself—actually confirmed this reasoning in the comments section. "It's pasteurized thank God, this is a good thing!" wrote commenter @l1con, self-described as "a microbiologist."
Still, other viewers seemed specifically concerned that the hot Gatorade liquid could cause harmful toxins to leach from the plastic bottles and into the beverage.
"There's no way the plastic bottles could handle that temp right?" asked @ya_edge_boi_brainy013.
"Wouldn't that release all the BPA in the plastic bottle?" echoed @trippiewhyte.
However, according to PepsiCo, "Gatorade plastic containers" are made using "PET No. 1 polyethylene terephthalate." As such, they do not contain BPA, the chemical that accounts for much of the concern about plastic leaching.
Regardless of the debate, many viewers seemed to simply have an adverse reaction to the clip, citing other issues with Gatorade's taste and ingredients.
"No wonder it tastes warm even though it's been in the fridge for [three] days," wrote @auntie_diana_1979 in a highly-liked comment.
"I feel like I wasn't supposed to watch this," commented @akame69gakill.
"Every single one of them has dyes," added @paulie_sky. "I don't need to know anything else to stay away."
Countless more labeled the popular sports drink as "poison."
Newsweek reached out to both Gatorade and @germanlopez141 for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
