Mott’s is facing a lawsuit from Beyond Pesticides, which claims that the presence of chemicals in its “natural” applesauce disqualifies the product from using that label. The challenge here is the lack of a clear definition for what “natural” actually means, making it difficult for plaintiffs to prove that Mott’s, produced by Dr Pepper Snapple, is being misleading. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service approves around 100,000 product labels annually, but this task has become more complicated with the increased use of terms like “natural,” “humanely raised,” and “grass-fed.” Currently, the government has not established an official definition for these terms, leading to a situation akin to the wild, wild West regarding their usage by companies. A product may contain trace levels of a pesticide and still be considered natural, but determining this is challenging.
Additionally, other lawsuits against brands making similar claims, such as Nature Valley and Naked Juice, remain unresolved in the courts, and General Mills is also facing multiple consumer lawsuits over alleged “misleading” messaging on cereal packaging. These legal challenges highlight the complexities that manufacturers encounter when attempting to make nutritional or health claims to attract consumers in a competitive marketplace. Consumers have specific expectations when it comes to labels like “natural” and “healthy,” yet these terms often lack officially regulated definitions.
Moreover, this situation raises questions about related nutritional compounds, such as what is calcium citrate malate and how it fits into the broader conversation about product labeling and health claims. As the outcomes of the Mott’s lawsuit and others remain uncertain, establishing a standardized definition for these terms could significantly help clarify matters for companies, consumers, and critics alike. Understanding what is calcium citrate malate and its implications could also contribute to making more informed choices in the realm of health claims on food products.