⚑ Lawsuit claimsNovember 13, 2026
A proposed class action filed in Illinois accuses Coca-Cola of calling Minute Maid Fruit Punch "100% Natural Flavors" even though the drink contains synthetic citric acid, according to ClassAction.org's report on the complaint. The claims haven't been proven in court.
The short version
Company: The Coca-Cola Company
Product: Minute Maid Fruit Punch
What the lawsuit claims: "100% Natural Flavors" label is false because of synthetic citric acid
Where it was filed: Illinois, per ClassAction.org
Status: Filed Nov. 4, 2026; nothing proven
What the lawsuit claims
According to ClassAction.org, which reported on the complaint, the 26-page lawsuit was filed November 4, 2026, as Zuniga v. The Coca-Cola Company. It claims the front of the Minute Maid Fruit Punch label says "100% Natural Flavors," while the drink contains citric acid that the suit calls industrially made and synthetic. The complaint says citric acid gives the drink its tartness. It claims most commercial citric acid is made by fermenting a strain of black mold, Aspergillus niger, and then refining it with industrial solvents.
The ingredient list says "citric acid (provides tartness)," the suit says, but does not say the acid is synthetic. The complaint claims Coca-Cola's size means it "does not and cannot" get the acid from natural citrus. It also claims shoppers pay a premium for products labeled natural. In the filing's words: "The citric acid in [Coca-Cola's Minute Maid Fruit Punch] is used to impart flavor and is synthetic, rendering the front-of-package statement '100% Natural Flavors' false, misleading, and deceptive."
Who is covered, and the company's side
The suit asks to represent people who bought the product with the challenged label for personal or household use in Florida, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York and Washington, ClassAction.org reports. No response from Coca-Cola was reported in the coverage. ClassAction.org also notes that the FDA has sent warning letters to other food makers over "natural" claims on products with manufactured citric acid. Nothing in the complaint has been proven in court.
What this means for you
There's no settlement and no money to claim. The suit asks for class-action status, which a court has not granted, according to the report.
If you bought the drink in one of the ten listed states, you may fall within the proposed group.
These are claims in a lawsuit and haven't been proven in court.
The case was filed November 4, 2026, and ClassAction.org's coverage reports no response from Coca-Cola. No court dates were reported.
Sources
ClassAction.org: Minute Maid lawsuit claims Fruit Punch with "100% Natural Flavors" is falsely advertised, November 11, 2026
This story is based on the records and reports linked above. Charges, lawsuits, and other accusations are claims, not findings of guilt or liability, unless the story says a court has ruled.
