Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Sale of Contaminated Rice

Published 11 hours agoAMZN

Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Sale of Contaminated Rice

Amazon is embroiled in a proposed class-action lawsuit filed in a federal court in Seattle. The lawsuit accuses the e-commerce giant of selling rice products contaminated with arsenic and other heavy metals. Specifically, the complaint identifies 18 rice products sold on Amazon's platform, including popular brands like Ben's Original and Whole Foods' 365, that allegedly pose health risks to consumers, particularly children.

The allegations are underscored by findings from a study conducted by Healthy Babies, Bright Futures. The study revealed that all 145 rice samples tested across the nation contained arsenic, and a significant 28% surpassed the FDA’s limits for arsenic in infant rice cereals. Furthermore, the presence of other heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, and mercury in these products raises additional concerns about consumer safety.

Plaintiffs Ashley Wright and Merriman Blum contend that they would not have purchased certain rice products had they been aware of the contamination issues. The lawsuit seeks damages exceeding $5 million for supposed violations of Washington state's consumer protection laws. As reported by Reuters, this legal move is similar to past actions targeting manufacturers of baby food and dark chocolate concerning heavy metal contamination.

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