Someone is sueing Kraft because of their Oreos. The lawyer wants to BAN oreos in California. Is this not the most absurd thing you have ever heard? Oreos are the most popular cookies (if not food) in America. Just because they are not good for the human body doesnt mean that they should be banned. Absurd This is from AOL: SAN FRANCISCO (May 12) - A lawyer who has spent much of his life enjoying Oreo cookies has sued Kraft Foods Inc. seeking to ban the much-loved cookies in California because they contain trans fat, an ingredient he calls inedible. Kraft boasts that people have eaten 450 billion Oreo cookies since they introduced the chocolate wafer sandwich cookies with a creamy filling in 1912. But if British-born attorney Stephen Joseph has his way, that culinary love affair will come to an end, at least until Kraft stops using hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils to make the cookies. Kraft calls the suit filed in Marin County Superior Court just north of San Francisco baseless but Joseph says he is taking advantage of a provision of the California civil code that holds manufacturers liable for common products if not "known to be unsafe by the ordinary consumer." The ingredient is used in thousands and thousands of products. In an interview on Monday, Joseph said, "I am probably full of hydrogenated fat because until two years ago I didn't know about it. I resent the fact that I have been eating that stuff all my life." Hydrogenation adds hydrogen gas to vegetable oil, helping to solidify it into products such as margarine. Health experts say the process makes them as unhealthy as real butter, if not more so, as the hydrogenated fats act like cholesterol in the body. Trans fats are common in cookies and crackers and part of both the cookie and filling in Oreos. 'SHOCKING' CASE "That's what's so shocking; that it has been so well hidden," said Joseph, who has set up an advocacy group called BanTransFats.com Inc. "I hope if nothing else comes of this lawsuit that more people know about trans fat than before." Kraft says it is already testing alternatives to trans fats but said they will vigorously fight the lawsuit. Its parent company Altria Group Inc. is also the owner of cigarette maker Philip Morris USA, itself no stranger to legal battles over product safety. "We know the importance of good nutrition and we are committed to helping people lead a healthy lifestyle, but we have no choice than to draw the line against baseless lawsuits like this," Michael Mudd, Kraft's senior vice president for corporate affairs, said in an interview. "We've been ... exploring ways to reduce trans fat in Oreos and those efforts are continuing," he continued. "You can make a cookie without trans fat but what you're trading off is the unique taste and texture that people have come to expect." U.S. companies, the world masters in processed foods, are showing an awareness of trans fats. Frito-Lay, part of PepsiCo Inc., announced last year it would eliminate trans fats from snacks such as Doritos. McDonald's Corp. also said it would make French fries with less trans fat. In February, a federal court threw out a lawsuit against McDonald's that claimed its burgers and fries cause obesity. The commissioner for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said the agency will soon require labeling information about trans fats in foods.
double stuffed and dipped in chocolate... actually Whole Foods makes an oreo type cookie (black and white) with no hydrogenated oils or trans fatty acids and they are damn good.
Trans fats are vile nasty things. But if people want to eat them, that's their business. I'm sure Mr. Joseph realizes he doesn't have a legal leg to stand on, but is actually more interested in generating interest in his anti-trans fat crusade. And in that respect, it appears he is succeeding.
Good point, but you know there is a problem when someone sues if they want to see something happen. They cant run advertisements? They cant make better, non fat oreos?
PHARMACIST: Can I help you? ELAINE (with little hope): Yeah, do you have any Today sponges? I know they're off the market, but... PHARMACIST: Actually, we have a case left. ELAINE (excited): A case! A case of sponges? I mean, uh...a case. Huh. Uh...how many come in a case? PHARMACIST: Sixty. ELAINE: Sixty?! Uh...well, I'll take three. PHARMACIST: Three. ELAINE: Make it ten. PHARMACIST: Ten? ELAINE: Twenty sponges should be plenty. PHARMACIST: Did you say twenty? ELAINE: Yeah, twenty-five sponges is just fine. PHARMACIST: Right. So, you're set with twenty-five. ELAINE: Yeah. Just give me the whole case and I'll be on my way.
I for one think this lawsuit was the right thing to do. I knew nothing about trans fat before it. And he dropped the lawsuit after Kraft admited that trans fat is bad, and they are looking for ways to make oreos without trans fat. We do have a right to know what we are eating. B
But do we need a lawsuit to prove that? Lawsuits take up tons of money and time from the company being sued.
Oreo cookies are bad for you? Damn, next thing you know they'll tell me I can't survive on a diet of cheetos and beer.
THE WHITE STUFF WEIRD AL YANKOVIC The white stuff, The white stuff The first one was a sweet one Second one was a blast Soon I finished off the bag, ate 'em up real fast You can see 'em in my teeth Tell it when I talk Had so many my pancreas just went into shock I love the white stuff, baby In the middle of an Oreo I love the white stuff, baby It's the most delicious thing I know I've had a zillion or two In my life, they're so right My teeth are all rotted clear through But who cares? What else am I supposed to do? Oh OH OH-OH-Oh, Oh Oreo Oh OH OH-OH-Oh, the white stuff Oh OH OH-OH-Oh, Oh Oreo What's in the middle? The white stuff The first time that I tried it Got a big sugar buzz Nothing gets me high as that sandwhich cookie does But I love the filling most I rub it on my roast Mix it in with my coffee and spread it on my toast I love the white stuff, baby In the middle of an Oreo I love the white stuff, baby Take some with me everywhere I go Might get a pimple or two Well, so what? It's all right Now Twinkies and Ding Dongs won't do All I need... You know what it is Oh OH OH-OH-Oh, Oh Oreo Oh OH OH-OH-Oh, the white stuff Oh OH OH-OH-Oh, Oh Oreo Oh OH OH-OH-Oh, the white stuff Oh OH OH-OH-Oh, Oh Oreo What's in the middle? The white stuff
Update.... http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=583&ncid=583&e=9&u=/nm/20030516/od_nm/food_oreos_dc Oreo Lawsuit Withdrawn After Wide Publicity By Adam Tanner SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A lawyer who generated international publicity by seeking to ban Oreo cookies in California said on Thursday he would withdraw his suit, explaining the news coverage had made people aware of the health risks of eating one of America's favorite snacks. But British-born attorney Stephen Joseph was criticized in legal circles for possibly abusing the U.S. courts system. Joseph filed a lawsuit against Kraft Foods Inc on May 5, seeking a ban on Oreos, citing a provision of the California civil code that holds manufacturers liable for products if not "known to be unsafe by the ordinary consumer." He argued the public did not know the cookies, like thousands of consumer products, have tans fat -- hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils -- which health experts say are best avoided. After media outlets far and wide reported the story, Joseph stood down, saying in a statement; "The factual and legal basis for the lawsuit when it was filed was that the American people did not know about trans fat. "After three days of incredible national publicity, everyone in America knows about trans fats ... The factual and legal basis for the lawsuit has totally disappeared." A leading scientist in researching trans fat said the Oreo lawsuit succeeded in getting more publicity than years of serious academic study. "This suit is sort of the first time there has been ... a tremendous amount of publicity," said Mary Enig, who has warned of the dangers of trans fatty acids for two decades. "It's been difficult to get the message out." Some experts said that if designed as a publicity stunt, Joseph's action could prompt sanction against him. "This is not a legitimate use of the courts," said Philip Howard, vice chairman of New York law firm Covington & Burling who advocates major reform of the U.S. lawsuit culture. "Bringing your claim that has no business in the courts that is really a regulatory or legislative issue is itself inappropriate," he said. "Doing so simply to gain publicity and then withdrawing that claim is probably, or at least arguably, a violation of professional ethics." John Montgomery, executive officer of the Marin County Superior Court said any slap on the wrist would likely come from the State Bar of California, which keeps its investigations confidential. Joseph defended his actions. "No money was ever requested in the lawsuit. There is no greed factor," he said.
The lawsuit was dropped. You need to have some way to get a companies attention, how else do you get them to respond to an issue such as this? What motivation do they have in revealing that they are using a fat that the FDA says the only safe level of consumption is zero? I am glad the lawsuit was dropped and Kraft agreed to research ways to remove trans fat. B
What motivation do they have in revealing that they are using a fat that the FDA says the only safe level of consumption is zero? The ingredients are public information. It's not like they were hiding the use of trans-fats ... it's just that no one has a clue as to their dangers. That is not Kraft's problem. I am glad the lawsuit was dropped and Kraft agreed to research ways to remove trans fat. I'm hoping Kraft sues him for filing a frivolous lawsuit and recovers the tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars they've probably spent dealing with the issue the last several days. The courts are not a publicity medium.
