Prop 65 Lawsuit Filed against Trader Joe's, Whole Foods

SAN FRANCISCOWhole Foods Market, Trader Joe's and other food retailers, manufacturers and distributors face a Proposition 65 lawsuit from California Attorney General Kamala Harris, according to a news report. 

The lawsuit claims retailers and candy makers exposed consumers to lead in violation of the California law, The Associated Press reported.

Prop 65 requires businesses to "provide a 'clear and reasonable' warning before knowingly and intentionally exposing" individuals to a list of chemicals that are known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm, according to California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

A spokesperson for Trader Joe's declined comment on pending litigation. Libba Letton, a spokesperson with Whole Foods Market, said the company "is looking into the matter with its suppliers."

Food Product Design could not immediately obtain a copy of the lawsuit from the California Attorney General's Office.

Lead is known to cause particular health risks to children. Roughly 500,000 kids between the ages of 1 and 5 are living with unacceptable levels of lead, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

"Lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and, at very high levels, seizures, coma, and even death," CDC has stated. "Because lead poisoning often occurs with no obvious symptoms, it frequently goes unrecognized."