In a significant legal development, a lawsuit has been launched against 11 prominent food corporations. These giants in the food industry, such as Kraft Heinz, The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Nestlé USA, and Mars Incorporated, are accused of deliberately engaging in a conspiracy. The aim is to create addictive products and market them specifically to children, thereby fueling health crises in the United States.

Uncovering the Dark Side of Food Corporations

How the Conspiracy Unfolded

Morgan & Morgan is representing Bryce Martinez from Pennsylvania. At the young age of 16, he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which he blames on these companies' ultra-processed products. Mike Morgan, a partner at Morgan & Morgan, stated in a press conference that the invention of ultra-processed foods in the 1980s has systematically and irreversibly changed the health of children. This is a moment when science has caught up with justice, and it is time to address this case to seek justice for Bryce Martinez and others like him.Rene Rocha, an attorney at Morgan & Morgan, added that they believe this is a turning point and hope it changes the status quo forever. Ultra-processed foods are defined in the lawsuit as industrially produced edible substances that imitate food and are made with chemically modified ingredients, additives, and industrial techniques. Rocha emphasized that these are new inventions stitched together with laboratory chemicals and additives, differing fundamentally from what we used to consider as food throughout human history.

The Impact on the American Food Supply

Up to three-quarters of the American food supply and two-thirds of children's diets consist of ultra-processed foods. Studies cited in the lawsuit have linked these foods to higher risks of various diseases, including cancer, heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome, obesity, diabetes, dementia, and poor mental health. The lawsuit alleges that large food corporations were taken over by "Big Tobacco" in the 1980s and then used their tactics to develop addictive products. They aggressively marketed these products to children and minorities. Rocha explained that they used the same scientists who studied the addictiveness of cigarettes to formulate ultra-processed foods.Quoting scientific studies, the lawsuit claims that 14 percent of adults and 12 percent of children in the US show addictive behaviors in response to ultra-processed foods, attributing this to the deliberate strategy of large food corporations. Morgan stated in a statement that the story of ultra-processed foods is an example of companies prioritizing profits over the health and safety of consumers. Executives at the defendant companies are alleged to have known for at least a quarter-century that these foods would contribute to illnesses in children but ignored the public health risks for the sake of profits.

Allegations Against the Companies

Among the allegations are that the companies failed to disclose or warn consumers about the dangers of eating ultra-processed foods. They falsely marketed their products as safe and frequently consumable by children. They also knowingly subjected consumers to the risks of lifelong illnesses. Rocha said in a statement that their goal is to hold these companies responsible for their efforts to make ultra-processed foods as addictive as possible and get them into the hands of children.Sarah Gallo, senior vice president of product policy at the Consumer Brands Association, representing the food and beverage industry, told Newsweek that food safety and protecting the integrity of the food supply is the top priority for manufacturers. She argued that classifying foods as unhealthy simply because they are processed or demonizing food by ignoring its nutrient content misleads consumers and exacerbates health disparities. She emphasized that food and beverage manufacturers are continuously innovating to meet the health and lifestyle needs of their customers.If you have a tip on a food story that Newsweek should be covering or a nutrition concern that worries you, please let us know via science@newsweek.com. Our experts can provide advice, and your story may be featured in Newsweek.