Sarah Katz, 21, had a heart condition and died hours after she drank Panera’s Charged Lemonade, a large cup of which contains more caffeine than Red Bull and Monster energy drinks combined.

All Panera Bread restaurants are now displaying “enhanced” disclosures about the restaurant chain’s highly caffeinated lemonade, a spokesperson said Saturday, following a lawsuit that was filed by the family of a young woman who died after drinking the beverage.

Monday’s lawsuit, which was first obtained by NBC News, alleges that Sarah Katz, an Ivy League student with a heart condition, died after she drank Panera’s Charged Lemonade last year.

A large Charged Lemonade contains 390 milligrams — nearly the 400-milligram daily maximum of caffeine that the Food and Drug Administration says healthy adults can safely consume.

  • ColorcodedResistor
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    288 months ago

    What is going to come from this is Panera settles, and then sticks the charged lemonade behind the counter and enhances warning labels.

    What may indirectly come from this is Solid Numbers on Caffeine overdose. and what is a safe amount and what is playing with fire.

    It’s a modern day created problem. energy drinks flood the market, other companies compete and boom, someone died. I’ve seen reports that she had some medical issues and caffeine was like her version of a bee sting or peanut allergy , but I’ve yet to corroborate that narrative.

    • @AstridWipenaugh@lemmy.world
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      108 months ago

      Yes, prior reporting covered that she had a heart condition and she was extremely aware that too much caffeine would kill her. The lemonade was clearly labeled with its caffeine content. It didn’t say it was extreme, but it was clearly labeled with how much is in it. The story that “she didn’t know” doesn’t add up unless she was just being wildly negligent.

      Article with image of the labeling: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/10/24/paneras-caffeinated-charged-lemonade-blamed-for-college-students-death-in-lawsuit/amp/

      As someone with a food allergy, I check everything I eat for my allergens. If I’m not sure what’s in it, I don’t eat it. And all that will happen to me is I’ll feel ill for a while. Anyone with a lethal condition damn well knows better.

      • @broface@lemm.ee
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        118 months ago

        I’m sure a lot of people don’t know off the top of there head what is and is not a lot of caffeine.

        • @M137@lemm.ee
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          38 months ago

          their*

          You failing basic grammar should tell you that your opinion on this (and other things) is worth nothing.

        • @abraxas@sh.itjust.works
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          38 months ago

          I’m sure a lot of people don’t know off the top of there head what is and is not a lot of caffeine.

          “As much caffeine as our coffee” She was sucking down 30oz cups of it (still under the FDA safe limit) on multiple days, and her family’s claim is that she thought it wasn’t caffeinated at all.

          The one possible claim is that in SOME stores the signage was missing for various reasons. That doesn’t seem to be the case with her store.

    • @broface@lemm.ee
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      8 months ago

      Funny. We’ve actually been doing the same thing with salt and sugar for decades.

      But overconsuming those doesn’t usually result in an immediate death. Just diabetes and stroke.