Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ Found in Certain Bolthouse Farms Smoothies, Class Action Alleges

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A proposed class action claims that certain Bolthouse Farms beverages are falsely advertised as “100% Fruit Juice Smoothie[s],” given that the products contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a category of toxic, synthetic chemicals. 

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According to the 50-page case, independent testing has revealed that Bolthouse Farms’ Green Goodness, Amazing Mango, Blue Goddess, C-Boost and Berry Superfood Boost smoothies contain a type of PFAS known as Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) at levels more than 200 times the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended limit for drinking water. 

These results are “entirely inconsistent” with the company’s “pervasive marketing efforts” to convince consumers that the smoothies at issue are healthy, made entirely with fruit juice and free from any artificial ingredients, the suit contends. The case stresses that consumers viewing Bolthouse Farms’ health-focused representations would not expect the beverages to contain harmful man-made chemicals — especially since the defendant fails to disclose the presence of PFAS in its products to buyers.

First developed by scientists in the 1940s, PFAS are often referred to as “forever chemicals” due to their tendency to accumulate in the body and the environment over time, the complaint explains. A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that exposure to these chemicals, even at low levels, has been linked to a host of adverse health effects, including cancer, liver damage, decreased fertility and increased risk of asthma and thyroid disease, the lawsuit relays.

Per the suit, Bolthouse Farms’ alleged misrepresentation of its smoothies has exposed “thousands of unsuspecting consumers” to harmful PFAS and their associated health risks. The complaint contends that buyers would not have purchased the beverages, or they would have paid less for them, had they known the products contained toxic synthetic chemicals that could negatively impact their health.

The case further alleges that the presence of PFOS in the Bolthouse Farms smoothies renders the products adulterated and misbranded and, therefore, illegal to sell under federal and state law. 

The lawsuit seeks to cover anyone who purchased any of the Bolthouse Farms smoothies listed above within the United States for personal use and not for resale.

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