Eggland's Best is sued over saturated fat claims for its eggs (updated)

Cal-Maine Foods

13/03/2024 19:56

(Adds Eggland's Best comment in paragraph 9)
    By Jonathan Stempel
       March 13 (Reuters) - Eggland's Best, one of the largest
U.S. egg producers, has been sued for falsely claiming that its
eggs contain less saturated fat than other eggs.
    The proposed class action filed on Tuesday in federal court
in Chicago by Richard Vilchis challenges Eggland's Best's claim
on its packaging that its eggs contain "25% less saturated fat
than regular eggs."
    According to the complaint, Eggland's Best claims its eggs
contain 1 gram of saturated fat per 50-gram serving, compared
with 1.5 grams for regular eggs.
    But the complaint said independent testing last August by
San Francisco-based Anresco Laboratories, which was hired by
Vilchis' lawyer, showed that Eggland's Best eggs contain 2.84
grams of saturated fat per 50-gram serving.
    Consuming too much saturated fat can increase cholesterol
levels and the risk of heart disease.
    Vilchis, a Chicago resident, said Eggland's Best's "false,
misleading, and deceptive" marketing claim deceives consumers
like him into paying more because they believe its eggs are
better for their health.
    "No reasonable consumer would interpret Eggland's Best's
on-label representation about saturated fat content to mean that
the products actually contain more saturated fat than 'regular
eggs,'" the complaint said.
    Eggland's Best is a cooperative.
    "We fully stand behind our product claims, which are
supported by rigorous quality control measures including
approximately 75,000 laboratory tests per year," it said in a
statement. "Eggland's Best remains committed to providing a
superior nutritional product for its consumers."
    Cal-Maine Foods  CALM.O , the largest U.S. egg producer and
a member of the cooperative, did not immediately respond to
requests for comment.
    Vilchis' lawyer P. Renee Wicklund, a lawyer at Richman Law &
Policy, did not immediately respond to similar requests.
    The complaint seeks unspecified damages for egg purchasers
for violations of Illinois laws against consumer fraud and
deceptive trade practices.
    Saturated fats occur naturally in many foods including
meats, dairy, butter and some oils. Other foods such as
vegetables and whole grains contain less.
    The American Heart Association recommends that no more than
6% of calories come from saturated fat.
    That equates to 13 to 17 grams of saturated fat for people
who consume 2,000 to 2,500 calories a day.
    In 1996, Eggland's Best paid a $100,000 civil fine to settle
with the Federal Trade Commission over cholesterol-related
claims in its marketing.
    The case is Vilchis v Eggland's Best Inc et al, U.S.
District Court, Northern District of Illinois, No. 24-02073.

 (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Tomasz
Janowski and Jonathan Oatis)
 ((jon.stempel@thomsonreuters.com; +1 646 223 6317; Reuters
Messaging: jon.stempel.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))