I don鈥檛 know who Debbie Banafsheha is, but she is abusing the legal system for personal gain through spreading twaddle. Debbie has sued Heinz for what she claims is false advertising because the label on its vinegar states 鈥渁ll natural.鈥� A sour argument.
The plaintiff states that the vinegar is likely made by fermenting genetically modified corn and therefore is not 鈥渘atural.鈥� The term 鈥渘atural鈥� is not regulated and indeed is often recklessly used as a marketing feature but there is a common understanding that it should refer to products that contain no additives and have not undergone processing that would have been unfamiliar to our grandparents. GMOs are in a nebulous category because of course sophisticated biotechnology may be involved, but the finished product is no different from the conventional variety. So, while Heinz vinegar may be fermented from GM corn, which in fact may or may not be the case, the final product is indistinguishable from any other vinegar.
This is where this lady鈥檚 folly enters the picture with her claim that Heinz鈥檚 鈥渞epresentations are false, deceptive, misleading, and unfair to consumers, who are injured in fact by purchasing products that Defendant claims are 'all natural' when in fact they are not." 鈥淚njured?鈥� What a load of nonsense. There is zero evidence that anyone has ever been 鈥渋njured鈥� by any GM component, never mind that there is no remnant of any form of genetic modification in the vinegar.
What we have here is ridiculous fear-mongering with the goal of a cash reward. I will, however, agree that the term 鈥渘atural鈥� should not be used until it is clearly defined by the courts. Not only is it undefined, but there is the implication that 鈥渘ature knows best鈥� and that you shouldn鈥檛 fool with Mother Nature. Of course Mother Nature has no hesitation fooling with us, unleashing pests, fungi, bacteria, viruses, lightning, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanoes and a host of venomous animals and toxic plants. Debbie should be suing Mother Nature. That would make about as much sense as suing Heinz for its 鈥渘atural鈥� vinegar label.
