NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Protein bars claiming to be "lean" are actually fattening, a class action lawsuit says.
Salvatore Provenzano filed suit May 20 in New York federal court against Forward Foods over two Detour-brand bars - one flavored like cookie dough and caramel and another with peanut butter and chocolate. Both have "lean" in the title.
"Defendant fortifies its lean muscle bars with palm kernel, sunflower and flax oils, considerable sources of fat," the lawsuit says. "Therefore, Defendant has no basis to label its bars as 'lean.'"
The bars are especially dangerous for those needing low-fat foods to combat heart disease or high blood pressure, the suit says.
"(C)ontrary to Defendant's representation, the bars do not contain any less fat than similar 'non-lean' protein bars on the market," the suit says. "Accordingly the bars are not lean because they do not contain any less fat than other traditional protein bars."
The firms representing the plaintiff are Bursor & Fisher, Phillips Grossman and Milberg Coleman.