Parents of University of Pennsylvania Student Sue Panera Bread over Daughter's Death Linked to High Caffeine Lemonade

Parents allege Panera's undisclosed high caffeine content in "Charged Lemonade," consumed by their daughter with a heart condition, led to her cardiac arrest and death, igniting debate on beverage transparency.

The parents of a 21-year-old University of Pennsylvania student, Sarah Katz, who had a heart condition, have filed a lawsuit against Panera Bread, alleging their daughter's cardiac arrest was triggered by the company's Charged Lemonade, a highly caffeinated beverage which she presumably believed was safely consumable.
The complaint alleges that Panera failed to adequately warn customers about the high caffeine content in their Charged Lemonade, marketing it was a 'clean' drink despite the large size containing more caffeine than a 12-ounce Red Bull and a 16-ounce Monster Energy Drink combined.
The lawsuit claims Panera did not advertise the Charged Lemonade as an energy drink and it was displayed alongside other less caffeinated options, possibly misleading consumers like Ms. Katz who had a health condition necessitating avoidance of high-caffeine drinks.
In a statement, Panera Bread expressed their sadness over the tragic event and affirmed their commitment to transparency regarding their ingredients, stating that they would thoroughly investigate this matter.
Despite the caffeine content having been listed on the company's website, the lawsuit underscores a potential lack of in-store warnings and questions about the drink's preparation process, which could have affected its caffeine content due to a lack of quality control.

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