Minute Maid faces lawsuit over 100% natural flavor claims
Your fruit punch might have a bit more industrial chemistry behind it than the words “100% Natural Flavors” suggest. Coca-Cola is facing a proposed class action lawsuit over its Minute Maid Fruit Punch, with a consumer alleging that the drink's natural flavor claims are misleading. According to the lawsuit, the drink contains synthetically manufactured citric acid.
The 26-page complaint argues that the beverage's front-of-package promise doesn't match what's actually inside. The citric acid listed as an ingredient allegedly isn't extracted from citrus fruits but manufactured industrially using a type of black mold.
The black mold behind that citrus tang
Citric acid sounds like something you'd naturally squeeze out of a lemon, and technically, it occurs naturally in citrus fruits and plenty of other plants. But most commercially available citric acid is not harvested from fruit. According to the lawsuit, the overwhelming majority is produced through fermentation using Aspergillus niger, a black mold strain. Manufacturers then extract and refine the citric acid using industrial processes and solvents.
Minute Maid's ingredient list discloses citric acid, describing its purpose as providing tartness. What it allegedly doesn't disclose is that the ingredient is synthetic and industrially produced.
When ‘100% natural flavors’ becomes a problem
The complaint is challenging the impression Coca-Cola allegedly creates with its natural flavor claim. According to the lawsuit, consumers increasingly prefer products marketed as natural or free from artificial ingredients, sometimes paying more for them. The filing claims Coca-Cola uses that preference to position Minute Maid Fruit Punch as a more appealing choice.
The plaintiff argues that shoppers would not have purchased the beverage, or would have paid less for it, had they known the citric acid used for flavoring was manufactured synthetically and that the “100% Natural Flavors” statement is false or deceptive.
There is also a regulatory wrinkle. The lawsuit points to FDA warning letters issued to food manufacturers over natural or all-natural labeling on products containing manufactured citric acid.
Coca-Cola could have a multistate class action on its hands
The proposed class action seeks to represent Minute Maid Fruit Punch buyers in Florida, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York and Washington. The proposed class would cover people who purchased the product for personal or household use during the applicable legal period, rather than buying it for resale.
Beyond the potential monetary benefit, the lawsuit is a reminder that food packaging can communicate a lot more or even less than the actual ingredient list. Who would have thought that a simple fruit punch's citrus tang can be accompanied by so much drama.
Source: ClassAction.org
