Federal Judge Dismisses Coca-Cola PFAS Juice Class-Action Again

A federal judge has ruled for a second time that there is insufficient evidence to move forward with a class-action lawsuit alleging that Coca-Cola’s Simply Tropical juice products were misbranded as “all natural” despite containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as “forever chemicals.” The ruling comes from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, following an initial dismissal more than a year ago.

Plaintiff Joseph Lurenz had amended his complaint, claiming that the juices contained widespread PFAS contamination, including PFOA levels 100 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s drinking water limits. Lurenz argued that this posed a health risk and warranted class-action status. However, the court concluded that the evidence presented was insufficient to substantiate the claims, preventing the case from moving forward. Coca-Cola has not commented on the decision.

This ruling highlights the challenges plaintiffs face in proving contamination claims in consumer beverage products.

30-09-2025