Category: Issue 690
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Court Grants Certification in Non-GMO Chipotle Suit
A California federal court has granted class certification to a group of consumers alleging that Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. misrepresented its food as made without genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Schneider v. Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., No. 16-2200 (N.D. Cal., entered September 29, 2018). Chipotle has faced a number of similar suits, but other iterations have…
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Consumers Challenge D-Malic Acid in Ocean Spray, Neuro Beverages
Consumers have filed lawsuits alleging that companies misrepresent their products as “natural” because they contain d-malic acid. One lawsuit targets Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc., alleging it mislabels its juices as free from artificial flavors despite containing d-malic acid rather than the naturally occurring l-malic acid. Froio v. Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc., No. 18-12005 (D. Mass.,…
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Claims Cut From One Suit While Pret A Manger Faces Another
A New York federal court has dismissed allegations from a putative class action arguing that Pret A Manger Ltd. sold sandwich wraps with excess slack fill between the wrap’s halves. Lau v. Pret A Manger (USA) Ltd., No. 17-5775 (S.D.N.Y., entered September 28, 2018). The court held that the plaintiffs lacked standing for an injunction…
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Kern’s Juices “Almost Entirely Sugar-Water,” Lawsuit Alleges
A consumer has filed a putative class action alleging that Stremick’s Heritage Foods misrepresents its Kern’s juice as a “healthful, natural juice product made solely from fresh fruits” despite being “almost entirely sugar-water, with a small amount of fruit juice added for color and texture.” Levin v. Stremick’s Heritage Foods, No. 18-1748 (C.D. Cal., filed…
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Putative Class Action Challenges Barilla’s “No Preservatives” Label
A consumer has filed a putative class action alleging that Barilla America Inc. misleads consumers because its pasta sauces, which are labeled as including “No Preservatives,” contain citric acid. Kubilius v. Barilla Am. Inc., No. 18-6656 (N.D. Ill., E. Div., filed October 1, 2018). The complaint contends that several authorities identify citric acid as a…
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Court Dismisses EEOC Complaint on Behalf of Muslim Meatpackers
A Colorado federal court has dismissed the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC’s) lawsuit alleging JBS USA discriminated against Muslim workers by denying prayer breaks. EEOC v. JBS USA, No. 10-2103 (D. Colo., entered September 24, 2018). The court found that EEOC failed to prove that JBS suspended or fired the workers in an effort…
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New York Times Asks: Can Lab-Grown Meat Be Kosher?
The New York Times has reported on the Orthodox Union’s efforts to determine whether meat grown in a lab from animal cells can be kosher. The reporter follows a rabbi tasked with researching the process. The rabbi distinguishes between products grown from muscle cells—which must be from an animal properly slaughtered in kosher standards rather…
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FDA Seeks Input on Plant-Based Milks
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has solicited public input on questions related to plant-based substitutes for dairy products such as almond or soy milk. The agency’s request for information (RFI) seeks responses on three points: “How do you use plant-based products?” “What is your understanding of dairy terms like milk, yogurt and cheese…