CNN/Reuters: California files french fry lawsuit

[DeepModem Mom]

California files french fry lawsuit
Saturday, August 27, 2005


SAN FRANCISCO, California (Reuters) -- California Attorney General Bill Lockyer has filed a lawsuit to force top makers of potato chips and french fries to warn consumers about a potential cancer-causing chemical found in the popular snacks.

In a complaint filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Lockyer sought an injunction to stop restaurant chains such as McDonald's Corp. and Wendy's International Inc. from selling french fries without some form of warning.

Also named were producers of potato chips and other packaged potato products like PepsiCo's Frito-Lay Inc. and Procter & Gamble Co., makers of Pringles chips.

The suit asks manufacturers of these products to identify the dangers of high levels of acrylamide, a chemical that studies have found is created when starchy foods are cooked at high heat....

***

The lawsuit alleges that companies have violated a state law passed in 1986 requiring companies to provide warnings before exposing people to known carcinogens or reproductive toxins.

In 2002, scientists found potatoes and other starchy foods cooked at high temperatures contained low levels of acrylamide. Other studies have discounted the potential toxicity of acrylamide to humans....


http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/08/27/french.fry.lawsuit.reut/index.html

[seriousstan]

1. Warn all you want, it is corporate insurance.

[Lecky]

2. Bummer...I love french fries and potato chips

in moderation of course :)

[awoke_in_2003]

3. well...

this makes me feel real good about the Doritos i just ate. God, we are being poisoned everyday. Growth hormones in our meat, vegetables with less nutritional value than ever (do to soil depletion) along with all the pesticides and chemical fertilizers, fish with mercury, etc. All in the name of profit.

[SuperWonk]

4. Too far....

This seems like a real rush to judgement. It's not like anything bad is being added to the fries, acrylamide occurs naturally when food is cooked. It's been part of the food we eat for thousands of years. Plus it sounds like the jury is still out on whether or not it's even bad for you.