Recent Blogs

Proposition 65 actions are notoriously expensive and difficult to defend.  For that reason, most Prop 65 cases settle.  But a rare case involving allegedly high levels of lead in baby food, packaged fruits and juices is in trial in the Alameda Superior Court.

In September 2011, the Environmental Law Foundation (one of a handful of organizations in California that files Prop 65 actions in the name of the public interest) brought a lawsuit against food companies Beech-Nut Nutrition, Dole, Gerber, Del Monte Foods, and many others.  ELF claimed that the manufacturers made and sold baby and children’s food containing lead, without a warning as required by Prop 65, California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act.

What is at stake in the Prop 65 action is whether baby food and children’s food such as carrot and potato baby food, grape juice and fruit cocktail must include a warning that the foods contain a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer or reproductive harm.  Naturally, the food manufacturers do not wish to be forced to warn potential consumers that their foods contain harmful chemicals.

The food companies’ defenses are being tried to Superior Court Judge Steven A. Brick.  The food companies claim that their products contain only trace levels of lead that are below the level required for a Prop 65 warning.  They also claim that the lead is “naturally occurring” in the foods and therefore no duty to warn is required under the “naturally occurring” exposure defense to Prop 65.  Finally, the food companies have argued that Prop 65’s warning requirements are preempted by the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act.  They contend that the FDA has determined that the baby food and children’s food in question do not pose unacceptable risks to health, so a Prop 65 warning requirement would create a conflict between federal and state law.

This will be a closely-watched case, because the Court’s ruling on these defenses is likely to have a significant impact on the defenses available to businesses faced with Prop 65 actions in the future.  Regardless of the outcome, CK&E’s lawyers will continue to work with businesses to help them develop a plan of compliance so that they can achieve their goal of minimizing the risk of being named as a defendant in a Prop 65 lawsuit.  If a lawsuit is threatened or filed, CK&E’s lawyers apply can create and implement effective and cost-efficient defense strategies to minimize its impact.