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Los Angeles - A California public interest group has sued Starbucks Corp, claiming that America's largest coffee retailer secretly spikes its Tazo Chai Tea with ephedrine, a herbal stimulant banned in food by US regulators.
Seattle-based Starbucks strongly denied the allegation on Friday as it celebrated its 30th anniversary, promising a vigorous court fight.
The Council for Education and Research on Toxics claimed in its Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit that Starbucks has been putting ephedrine, which has been linked to deaths, heart attacks, strokes and other health problems, in its tea at least since 1996.
Audrey Lincoff, a Starbucks spokesperson, said in a statement that while the company does not comment on pending litigation it wanted to "confirm for our customers that ephedrine has never been used as an ingredient in Tazo's Chai Tea or any other Tazo product."
The lawsuit, which was which was filed late on Thursday and claims violations of the California Health and Safety and Business and Professional codes, seeks to stop Starbucks from putting ephedrine in the tea and to make restitution to the state of California.
It was filed on the same day that a consumer group asked the US government to ban dietary supplements that contain ephedra based on similar health risks.
Plaintiff's lawyer Raphael Metzger said ephedrine and ephedra, also known as ma huang, are both derived from the same alkaloids, which are considered toxic.
Metzger, a lawyer for the Council for Education and Research on Toxics, which he described as a recently formed public interest group, said they did not file the lawsuit to make money and decided on the litigation only after private mediation with Starbucks broke down.
Asked why the coffee chain would put ephedrine in its tea, Metzger said: "I don't have a clue why its in there. There's no legitimate reason why its in there. It gives people a rush and that may be why, but I wouldn't want to speculate."