A Hawaii resident has filed a putative nationwide class action against Cargill, Inc., alleging that the company falsely advertises its Truvia® sweetener product as “natural” when it is actually made from ingredients that are “either synthetic or harshly chemically processed.” Howerton v. Cargill, Inc., No. 13-0336 (D. Haw., filed July 8, 2013). According to the complaint, the company markets the product with “natural imagery such as the leaves of the stevia plant,” yet “the stevia-derived ingredient, Reb A, is not the natural crude preparation of stevia, but rather is a highly chemically processed and purified form of the stevia leaf extract,” and Reb A “comprises only 1% of Truvia.” The plaintiff alleges that “the main ingredient, erythritol, which Cargill also purports to be a natural ingredient derived through natural processes, is not made like it is in nature, but rather is synthetically made. Cargill describes the process of obtaining stevia…
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The Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) has launched a public awareness effort advocating consumption of beverages containing less sugar. The “Don’t Drink Yourself Fat” campaign is reportedly part of a $3.4 million federal grant for Kauai and Maui District Health Offices’ Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative. “Research points to the strong correlation between consumption of sugar-loaded beverages and obesity with its many associated health problems,” said DOH Kauai District Health Officer Dileep Bal. “We know from our experience with anti-tobacco efforts that targeted media campaigns work and are a key component not only in raising awareness, but in changing social norms.” See DOH Press Release, May 31, 2011.
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