Sarah Katz, 21, had a heart condition and died hours after she drank Panera’s Charged Lemonade, a large cup of which contains more caffeine than Red Bull and Monster energy drinks combined.

All Panera Bread restaurants are now displaying “enhanced” disclosures about the restaurant chain’s highly caffeinated lemonade, a spokesperson said Saturday, following a lawsuit that was filed by the family of a young woman who died after drinking the beverage.

Monday’s lawsuit, which was first obtained by NBC News, alleges that Sarah Katz, an Ivy League student with a heart condition, died after she drank Panera’s Charged Lemonade last year.

A large Charged Lemonade contains 390 milligrams — nearly the 400-milligram daily maximum of caffeine that the Food and Drug Administration says healthy adults can safely consume.

  • @_number8_
    link
    841 year ago

    wait wait a lady fucking died and they’re getting away with simply enhanced signs??

      • Natanael
        link
        fedilink
        281 year ago

        For an average healthy adult. That’s what the disclaimers are for, so that those who can’t tolerate it will know about it.

        And yes, insufficient warnings should have pretty harsh penalties precisely for this reason

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          101 year ago

          True. As for penalties, some pragmatism is needed lest you create another “everything causes cancer in California” joke.

          A warning that’s applied to everything will be ignored by everyone.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          11 year ago

          Other people posted pictures of the dispensers. It said right on the sign how much caffeine is in it.

        • @piecat
          link
          51 year ago

          So, the FDA isn’t perfect, but they’re reversing their stance based on evidence.

          https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/brominated-vegetable-oil-bvo

          BVO is added to a food for a specific purpose and is regulated by the FDA as a direct food additive. BVO is allowed for use in a small amount, not to exceed 15 parts per million, in the U.S. as a stabilizer for fruit flavoring used in beverages.

          The FDA is working on a proposed rule to amend our regulations to remove the authorization of the use of BVO as a food ingredient. For more information, see the unified agenda.

        • no banana
          link
          21 year ago

          Looks to me like it is safe in smaller doses?

      • @DarthBueller
        link
        49
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        Model (USA) Rule of Evidence 407: Subsequent remedial measures are not admissible as evidence to prove negligence, culpable conduct, a defect in a product or its design, or a need for a warning or instruction.

        But the court may admit this evidence for another purpose, such as impeachment or — if disputed — proving ownership, control, or the feasibility of precautionary measures

        EDIT: I’m not looking up the contextualing comments that accompany the rule, but I will share what I remember from law school many years ago: this rule exists for public safety. You don’t want to penalize fixing a dangerous situation, regardless of the facts of any specific case.

        • @bbsm3678
          link
          51 year ago

          This comment is completely correct. This rule would apply here.

      • squiblet
        link
        fedilink
        71 year ago

        Maybe they’d like for people to not be harmed by their lemonade for the sake of not hurting people, more than money. That’s a lot to believe about a corporation though.

    • @jaybone
      link
      101 year ago

      Well this is like, how you do not eat things you are allergic too.