LaCroix Ingredients: A lawsuit claims that the "all natural" claim is false

The LaCroix sparkling water is facing a lawsuit alleging that its claims of "all natural" and "100% natural" are misleading because of artificial ingredients.

"Tests revealed that LaCroix contained a number of artificial ingredients, including linalool, used in the cockroach insecticide," said Beaumont Costales, a law firm representing the plaintiff Lenora Rice .

According to the complaint, LaCroix and its parent company, National Beverage, are aware of synthetic chemicals contained in sparkling water, but are "deliberately misleading to consumers," according to CBS Philly.

National Beverage denied the allegations of the lawsuit. "The natural flavors of LaCroix are derived from the natural essential oils of the named fruit used in each of the flavors," the company said in a statement. "There are no sugars or artificial ingredients contained in, nor added to, these extracted flavors."

He added that his suppliers had certified that the species were "100% natural".

National Beverage sales increased by almost 13% in the quarter ended July 28, reaching $ 292.6 million. Part of the increase is due to health-conscious beverages, which include the LaCroix brand, Shasta, and fruit juice and energy drink drinks, according to a regulatory filing.

The distinction seems to boil down to how the FDA differentiates synthetic flavors from natural flavors, reports Popular Science, which explains that the three ingredients cited by Beaumont Costales are not as dangerous as they might appear. For example, linalool, which is cited as an insecticide for cockroaches by the law firm, is found in plants such as mints and fragrant herbs. Although it is also used in insecticides, it is not toxic to humans, noted Popular Science.