Putative Class Action Challenges Barilla’s “No Preservatives” Label

A consumer has filed a putative class action alleging that Barilla America Inc. misleads consumers because its pasta sauces, which are labeled as including “No Preservatives,” contain citric acid. Kubilius v. Barilla Am. Inc., No. 18-6656 (N.D. Ill., E. Div., filed October 1, 2018). The complaint contends that several authorities identify citric acid as a preservative, including “insiders in the preservative manufacturing and distribution industries” and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which allegedly “expressly classifies citric acid as a preservative in its Overview of Food Ingredients, Additives, and Colors.” The plaintiff seeks class certification, damages, restitution, injunctions and attorney’s fees for allegations of fraud and violations of New York and Illinois consumer-protection statutes.