Dive Brief:
- A federal judge in California has thrown out a lawsuit alleging that packaged fruit mixes from Dole were not "natural," as claimed on the label.
- At issue was a claim by the plaintiff that the presence of citric acid and ascorbic acid in the food meant that the term "All Natural Fruit" was misleading.
- U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh dismissed the case, ruling there was insufficient evidence to suggest consumers would be misled.
Dive Insight:
Among the myriad of lawsuits we've seen regarding the use of the word "natural," this one would appear to have been a bigger stretch than most. So it's no surprise that a judge has thrown out the case. What is a surprise, however, is that the judge hails from California - the place that litigators have taken to calling the "food court."