Tag: caramel color/4-MEI
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Tradewinds Iced Tea Mislabeled “100% Natural,” Putative Class Action Alleges
A consumer has filed a projected class action against Tradewinds Beverage Co. alleging the company’s iced tea products are misleadingly labeled as natural despite containing caramel color. Martin v. Tradewinds Beverage Co., No. 16-9249 (C.D. Cal., filed December 14, 2016). The plaintiff argues that she regularly paid a premium for Tradewinds Iced Tea products believing…
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Settlement in Pepsi 4-MEI Suit Preliminarily Approved
A California federal court has granted preliminary approval for a settlement agreement in a lawsuit alleging PepsiCo products contain levels of 4-Methylimidazole (4-MEI) exceeding the legally permissible amount under the state’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Prop. 65). Sciortino v. PepsiCo Inc., No. 14-0478 (N.D. Cal., order entered June 28, 2016).…
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Rebate Moots “All Natural” Putative Class Action
A Massachusetts federal court has dismissed a lawsuit alleging ACH Food Companies Inc. mislabeled its Weber® barbecue sauce as “All Natural” despite containing caramel coloring, finding that a $75 rebate rendered the case moot. Demmler v. ACH Food Cos. Inc., No. 15-13556 (D. Mass., order entered June 9, 2016). Details about the complaint appear in…
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Proposed “All Natural” Class Action Filed Against Weber® BBQ Sauce Maker
A Massachusetts consumer has filed a putative class action against ACH Food Companies, Inc., manufacturer of Weber® BBQ Sauces, alleging the company misleadingly markets its products as “All Natural” despite containing caramel coloring. Demmler v. ACH Food Cos., Inc., No. 15-13556 (D. Mass., filed October 13, 2015). The complaint asserts that under Massachusetts and federal…
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Class Action Stayed and Prop. 65 Action Settled in Pepsi 4-MEI Disputes
A California state court has approved the settlement agreement in a lawsuit brought by the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) alleging that PepsiCo Inc. products contain levels of 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) that exceed the limits imposed by the state’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Prop. 65). Ctr. for Envtl. Health v. Pepsi…
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4-MEI Consolidated Class Action to Continue in California
A California federal court has refused to dismiss a class action consolidated from nine lawsuits against PepsiCo, Inc. alleging that the company concealed its products’ content of 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI), a chemical listed as known to cause cancer or reproductive harm under the state’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Prop. 65). Sciortino v.…
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California Federal Court Dismisses 4-MEI Suit Against PepsiCo Inc.
A California federal court has dismissed a lawsuit arguing that PepsiCo Inc. should provide medical monitoring for a class of Diet Pepsi or Pepsi One purchasers because the company does not warn consumers that 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI), a compound in caramel coloring, has allegedly been linked to potential health risks in rodent studies. Riva v. PepsiCo,…
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Consumer Reports Study Assesses Alleged 4-MEI Cancer Risk
A joint study by Consumer Reports and the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future claims that 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) exposures “associated with average rates of soft drink consumption pose excess cancer risks exceeding one case per 1,000,0000 exposed individuals, which is a common acceptable risk goal used by U.S. federal regulatory agencies.” Tyler Smith, et al.,…