Simply’s Tropical Juice is claimed to contain high levels of toxic PFAS chemicals. Its parent company, Coca-Cola, is facing a lawsuit following third-party tests
PFAS, known as forever chemicals, can lead to increased risks of some cancers.
The lawsuit claimed the product deceived customers with allegations of being an all-natural product.
Third-party testing was alleged to have found the juice contained PFAS, known as forever chemicals, at levels hundreds of times greater than federal limits for drinking water.
Exposure to high levels of PFAS can lead to increased risks of kidney or testicular cancer, fetal complications, liver disease and increased cholesterol levels.Â
The label that states the juice is natural is said to be misleading and deceiving, according to the lawsuit.
Joseph Lurenz filed the complaint on December 28 at the US District Court for the Southern District of New York against the Coca-Cola Company and the Simply Orange Juice Company.Â
It said the company misrepresented their products, using terms such as ‘simply natural’, ‘nothing to hide’ and ‘all-natural’ on its labels, despite containing PFAS.
Mr Lurenz believes that the defendants knew the fruit juice contained dangerous chemicals which can pose a health risk, but failed to disclose the information to consumers.Â
He said: ‘In reality, [the] plaintiff’s testing has revealed that the product contains per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (‘PFAS’), a category of synthetic chemicals that are, by definition, not natural.’
The lawsuit said third-party testing revealed PFAS in the juice. Specific test results were not provided, but the lawsuit said the levels were ‘hundreds of times’ above federal limits for drinking water.
The limits, which were made stricter last summer, are 0.02 ppt for PFOS and 0.004 ppt for PFOA.
The juice is marketed as all-natural and contains labels that say ‘made simply’, a claim the plaintiff refutes.
It is currently unknown as to how PFAS chemicals might have contaminated the water that is being used to make the juice, and if the chemicals could also in the packaging.
PFAS chemicals are also found in items such as cookware and food packaging, often used for their non-stick, heat resistant and water-resistant properties.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), PFAS do not breakdown easily and can build up in our bodies and environment.
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