Lawsuit alleges LaCroix water made with cockroach insecticide - "Ass" still not listed as flavoring

[Slowboat to China]

Makers of LaCroix hit with lawsuit alleging their sparkling water contains 'synthetic' ingredients, including a 'cockroach insecticide'
The makers of the wildly popular sparkling water LaCroix, which has become a phenomenon over the past year, were hit with a lawsuit alleging the beverage contains "non-natural flavorings," including an ingredient said to be used as a "cockroach insecticide."

The lawsuit, which is seeking class action status, was filed in Cook County, Illinois, against the drink's parent company, National Beverage Corporation, and slammed what it said was the "practice of mislabeling their signature product, LaCroix Water, as 'all-natural,'" according to court documents obtained by ABC News.

The beverage makers "mislead consumers into believing that their product is natural when it is not," the complaint added. Moreover, the suit alleged the bubbly water contains the ingredient "linalool" which it says "is used as a cockroach insecticide."

The National Beverage Corp. "categorically denies all allegations" in the suit, the company said in a statement, slamming it as "without basis in fact or law regarding the natural composition" of LaCroix sparkling waters.

"Natural flavors in LaCroix are derived from the natural essence oils from the named fruit used in each of the flavors," the statement added. "The lawsuit provides no support for its false statements about LaCroix’s ingredients."

Legal expert Areva Martin told "Good Morning America," that if the suit's "claims are substantiated, this could have a dire effect on the company."

"It may be forced to change it's labeling, we know the company prides itself on providing a natural and organic water, so if they have to change that labeling, that can change their entire marketing strategy," she added.

But experts say that even if the allegations are true, consumers shouldn't jump to conclusions about the bubbly beverage, saying LaCroix would have to contain 50 percent of the linalool in order to pose a health risk, and that the natural chemical is often found in fruits and spices such as cinnamon.

"The consumer should not be alarmed by this lawsuit," Roger Clemens, a food safety expert from the University of Southern California, told "GMA." "The compounds under discussion occur naturally and citrus beverages like orange juice, lime juice."

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Food/mak...g-sparkling-water-synthetic/story?id=58349302

This seems like a weird thing to post on KF, but I think it's notable if for no other reason than the weird food additive lawsuit is not being filed in California for once. Also, some part of me really wants to see a health food product labeled "Warning: Contains cockroach insecticide."

 

[Übertroon]

This is simply someone failing to understand what natural is. Sure Linalool sounds scary when you mention it's found in insecticide, but truth is it's a naturally occuring
molecule that is found in many flowers and spices. If LaCroix water contains plant oils for natural flavor it's no shock that you can find Linalool in it. The insecticide likely contains Linalool to make it less repugnant for humans.

 

[usernames can change now!]

Limalool is a component of the essential oils of many fruits and flowering plants. LaCroix is made from the essential oils of fruits and flowering plants.

How could Limalool end up in LaCroix? Show your work. (10 marks)

 

[MilkAddict]

Lol if they are shitting the bed over synth linalool, just wait until the great scandal of vanillin/ ethyl vanillin

 

[idosometimes]

This is simply someone failing to understand what natural is. Sure Linalool sounds scary when you mention it's found in insecticide, but truth is it's a naturally occuring
molecule that is found in many flowers and spices. If LaCroix water contains plant oils for natural flavor it's no shock that you can find Linalool in it. The insecticide likely contains Linalool to make it less repugnant for humans.

Exactly, my fellow science loving chum. That part is anti-science "chemicals are bad" nonsense.

 

[Secret Asshole]

Just because something is used in something else doesn't mean its the same thing. We use hydrogen peroxide, but hydrogen peroxide at 30% and at 3% are very different. There are also natural insecticides as well. The whole thing is pure hyperbolic.

 

[OB 946]

Smells like a competitor is about to drop a new "all-natural" bubbly water.

 

[Dial M for Misgender]

Insectacide is the least of your worries, I hear it contains something called DHMO.

 

[Sylvie Paula Paula]

Who even drinks LaCroix? Oh well. The roaches will love it.

 

[stupidpieceofshit]

Exactly, my fellow science loving chum. That part is anti-science "chemicals are bad" nonsense.

I just love the "Everything is natural is great for you" stance they have. Like bitch have you ever heard of Hemlock and ricin?

Insectacide is the least of your worries, I hear it contains something called DHMO.

Oh Shit, DHMO is the worse there are active petitions to get it banned!

Who even drinks LaCroix? Oh well. The roaches will love it.

To me it tastes a better then diet soda. If I want something carbonated I'm more likely to go for a LaCroix then a diet coke or pepsi.

 

[OB 946]

To me it tastes a better then diet soda. If I want something carbonated I'm more likely to go for a LaCroix then a diet coke or pepsi.

The flavors are shitty and present just enough to make it unnerving, but too faint to be good. For instance, "lemon" should be renamed "transported in a truck that drove by some lemons."

 

[XYZpdq]

I chug the aldi knock-off of that stuff nonstop. I figured it was carbonated waste runoff from some rind processing or something.

 

[Abortions4All]

Every tech space in SF/NYC that has free food and beverages keeps a ton of LaCroix on hand, and it's the most popular option after coffee, according to office managers I've talked to about stock levels.

I think the reason is probably that many people don't like to be seen as gluttonous or childish in the professional workplace.

Soda, even diet soda, can carry a connotation of "the person who drinks this is a child who needs everything to be syrupy-sweet in order to consume it." But most people would rather drink something cold and in a can than get some tap water.

LaCroix hits the sweet spot of seeming like the kind of beverage only a professional adult would drink (i.e. not hedonistic), while avoiding the halitosis and jitters that coffee can generate.

It's also impossible to consume it in vast quantities ... I've seen plenty of diet soda addicts consume a 2L or more of their drink of choice in a day, but I don't think most people can stomach more than 2 cans of LaCroix, even if they claim to really enjoy it. Which makes it an economical option for workplaces that are giving away drinks.

 

[stupidpieceofshit]

The flavors are shitty and present just enough to make it unnerving, but too faint to be good. For instance, "lemon" should be renamed "transported in a truck that drove by some lemons."

Oh yeah I agree the "flavor" is more of "faint memories of lemon form a 90 year old dementia paitent" but to me at lease it doesn't taste like soap (diet pepsi) or have an awful after taste (diet coke and pepsi). That is why I tolerate it.

 

[Ineedahero]

To me it tastes a better then diet soda. If I want something carbonated I'm more likely to go for a LaCroix then a diet coke or pepsi.

What about pepsi max?

 

[toilet_rainbow]

I grew up with my mother drinking LaCroix so I like drinking a couple flavors of it (and the Aldi version) really cold. It has to be chilled. I once drank plain mineral water lukewarm in Europe and bleh. There are certain brands of flavored water that I can't drink because they taste too sweet to me. Do still like my soda (diet and regular), though. I'm addicted to the carbonation aspect.

 

[ThePurpleProse]

Every tech space in SF/NYC that has free food and beverages keeps a ton of LaCroix on hand, and it's the most popular option after coffee, according to office managers I've talked to about stock levels.

What the fuck is your job.

 

[Crunchy Leaf]

Weird food additive lawsuits are my favorite, 'cause 95% of the time they're someone hoping to make a quick buck.

I wish soda water companies would stop trying to market their beverages as healthy or natural and let them exist on their own as a drink. I got a can of Polar Seltzer once and it said 'guilt free'....fuck you, I don't feel guilty about drinking soda, I just also like seltzer.

 

[XYZpdq]

It's also impossible to consume it in vast quantities ... I've seen plenty of diet soda addicts consume a 2L or more of their drink of choice in a day, but I don't think most people can stomach more than 2 cans of LaCroix, even if they claim to really enjoy it. Which makes it an economical option for workplaces that are giving away drinks.

I got into it at my job. I wanted something to go with food but I'm not too into sugary stuff. They had the LaCroix cans so I tried that.
Dunno how legit that claim about 2 cans goes though, I can go through a twelve pack in a day easy. I already had one can while writing this.

 

[melty]

I hate whenever anybody uses the "contains a chemical also used in scary-sounding thing!" argument. I hoped this had died years ago with the dihydrogen monoxide hoax. Unfortunately loads of idiots will likely still fall for this, and stop drinking LaCroix.
Also, I don't remember LaCroix ever labeling itself as organic. I think whoever filed this lawsuit may be retarded and doesn't know what things mean. Are they trying to argue that the linalool isn't natural because it can be used to kill cockroaches? I have some bad news, many of their favorite organic snack chip brands actually contain a substance used to kill garden snails. This nonsense shouldn't have gotten any press at all.
I like lacroix. I don't think it's the greatest tasting thing ever, but I like lightly flavored carbonated water (it's all I drink besides coffee) and I don't like calories or very sugary drinks. My favorite is the Cola flavor.

Here is the law firm filing the suit. https://beaumontcostales.com/beaumont-costales-files-class-action-lawsuit-against-lacroix-water/