Iconic Cereal Brand Hit With Lawsuits Alleging High Lead Levels
The company behind a popular cereal brand is facing multiple lawsuits accusing them of having high lead levels in their products.
General Mills is facing class-action lawsuits in both Minnesota and California which the Minneapolis Star Tribune says accuse the company of “dangerously high lead levels” in its cereal.
Which Cereals Allegedly Have High Lead Levels?
Both class-action lawsuits zero on on Cocoa Puffs as being the one being accused of having harmful levels of lead.
General Mills Hit With Lawsuits Over Lead Levels In Cocoa Puffs
“According to the California suit, a 1-cup serving of Cocoa Puffs contained just shy of the state’s maximum allowable limit of .5 milligrams of lead,” the Star Tribune reports.
While that is under the limit, the newspaper says the lawsuit notes that most people scoop way more than the suggested serving size into their bowls each morning.
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This isn’t the first time General Mills has come under fire for what they are putting into Cocoa Puffs.
The chocolate-tasting cereal was first introduced by the company in 1956. Snack History says the cereal kept the same recipe until late 2009 when “complaints about the sugar content in breakfast cereals” led to General Mills making a change.
The company reduced the amount of sugar in some of its cereals, including Cocoa Puffs. By 2020, Snack History says General Mills had brought back the original recipe.
What Do The Cocoa Puffs Lawsuits Mean For Consumers?
Both of the lawsuits are demanding big bucks for people who have purchased Cocoa Puffs across the country. The Star Tribune reports they are asking for more than $5 million.
General Mills Hit With Lawsuits Over Lead Levels In Cocoa Puffs
Don’t start counting your share of that money just yet. General Mills has been able to fend off class-action lawsuits in the past that have attempted to advocate for consumers.
CBS News reported earlier this year that General Mills and Quaker Oats were facing class-action lawsuits regarding a pesticide on their products including Cheerios. The lawsuits claimed the pesticide had been found to cause fertility issues.
LOOK: 35 Vintage Cereals That Perfectly Captured Pop Culture Moments
Movies and TV shows have always found ways to partner with cereal companies as part of their promotion strategy. While some may have come up with a giveaway in boxes, others went big by having their own cereal connected to the movie or TV show title. Here are vintage cereals that were used to promote some of pop culture’s biggest moments (and some you probably forgot about).
Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll
