EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Dole's fruit juices contain an ingredient that contradicts its claims that they are 100% fruit juice, a class action lawsuit alleges.
Jamie Jackson sued Dole in Illinois' St. Clair County Circuit Court in May, and the defendant removed the case to federal court on July 7. At issue is the presence of ascorbic acid.
"While ascorbic acid may be a source of Vitamin C, food-grade ascorbic acid is a commercially manufactured food additive used in processed foods primarily as an antioxidant used to control the growth of microorganisms, i.e. a preservative," the suit says.
"Ascorbic acid is not fruit juice."
The suit also targets food-grade citric acid used as a preservative.
"Plaintiff and reasonable consumers reasonably believe, define and assume that fruit labels 'in 100% fruit juice' is in fact 100% fruit juice and does not contain any added ingredients," the suit says. "Because the fruit contains the added ingredients, the representation that the fruit is 'in 100% fruit juice' is unfair, false, deceptive and misleading."