LAWSUITS NEWS & LEGAL INFORMATION
Noodle Soup Maker Settles MSG Consumer Fraud Lawsuit for $1.5M
Santa Clara, CA: A proposed $1.5 millions settlement has been reached in a consumer fraud class action lawsuit pending against CJ America Inc, the maker of Annie Chun' noodle and soup bowls and Ramen House products. The lawsuit, filed by lead plaintiff Dennis Petersen, claims that the company lied to customers about the amount of flavor-enhancing monosodium glutamate (MSG) contained in packages of its popular soup and noodle bowls.
In a motion for preliminary approval, it is estimated that potential class members would be paid from the cash settlement fund $1.50 per product with a proof of purchase, or up to $15 maximum without a receipt. Proposed class member include any U.S. customer who bought Annie Chun' noodle and soup bowls or Ramen House products labeled as "No MSG Added"in the past three years.
Further, CJ America has agreed not to print "No MSG Added"on the labels or packaging of Annie Chun' or Ramen House products for the next three years, the agreement read.
According to the suit, Annie Chun' products are sold at a variety of big-box stores such Target and Wal-Mart, as well as Fresh & Easy, Sprouts Farmers Market and Whole Foods. Petersen alleged he was tricked into buying Annie Chun' soup products after reading on the front of the package that soup contained "100 percent all natural ingredients"and "No MSG Added"despite the fact that the soups contained ingredients that either contain MSG or create it during the cooking process.
The lawsuit asserts that ingesting MSG can cause headaches and nausea, among other symptoms, and while the Food and Drug Administration requires food manufacturers to list monosodium glutamate on food labels, the agency does not require food makers to specify any ingredients that naturally contain MSG. However, in that case, the FDA does not allow such products to be labeled as "no MSG added,"Petersen states in the suit.
The case is Dennis Petersen v. CJ America Inc., case number 3:14-cv-02570, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
Published on Nov-3-15
In a motion for preliminary approval, it is estimated that potential class members would be paid from the cash settlement fund $1.50 per product with a proof of purchase, or up to $15 maximum without a receipt. Proposed class member include any U.S. customer who bought Annie Chun' noodle and soup bowls or Ramen House products labeled as "No MSG Added"in the past three years.
Further, CJ America has agreed not to print "No MSG Added"on the labels or packaging of Annie Chun' or Ramen House products for the next three years, the agreement read.
According to the suit, Annie Chun' products are sold at a variety of big-box stores such Target and Wal-Mart, as well as Fresh & Easy, Sprouts Farmers Market and Whole Foods. Petersen alleged he was tricked into buying Annie Chun' soup products after reading on the front of the package that soup contained "100 percent all natural ingredients"and "No MSG Added"despite the fact that the soups contained ingredients that either contain MSG or create it during the cooking process.
The lawsuit asserts that ingesting MSG can cause headaches and nausea, among other symptoms, and while the Food and Drug Administration requires food manufacturers to list monosodium glutamate on food labels, the agency does not require food makers to specify any ingredients that naturally contain MSG. However, in that case, the FDA does not allow such products to be labeled as "no MSG added,"Petersen states in the suit.
The case is Dennis Petersen v. CJ America Inc., case number 3:14-cv-02570, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
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