A manufacturer of tortilla chips is being sued by a consumer for claiming its products are “natural” when they contain genetically modified organisms (GMO).

Elizabeth Cox of California filed a class action lawsuit against Gruma Corporation, which makes Mission® Restaurant tortilla chips and other products. Cox objects to the company’s claim that its rounds, strips, triangles and chips are “all natural.”

According to the plaintiff, the products include GMO corn and corn derivatives, making any “all natural” claim out to be “false, misleading and likely to deceive reasonable consumers.” The lawsuit notes that “Genetically modified corn products contain genes and/or DNA that would not normally be in them, and are thus not natural, thereby causing the Product to fail to be ‘All Natural.’”

Cox wants the San Francisco federal court, where she filed her complaint, to order Gruma to reimburse her and other consumers who purchased its products for deceiving them about the contents.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

Elizabeth Cox v. Gruma Corporation (U.S. District Court, Northern California) (pdf)

Every Year, Americans Eat more than their Weight in Genetically Engineered Foods (by Noel Brinkerhoff and David Wallechinsky, AllGov)

Monsanto and DuPont Spend Big to Fight Labeling Genetically Modified Foods (by Ken Broder, AllGov)

Whole Foods Accused of Accepting Genetically Modified Foods (by Noel Brinkerhoff and David Wallechinsky, AllGov)