Orgain, a maker of protein powder products, is pushing back after a lawsuit put the safety of its products in the spotlight. The company has issued a public response to claims that its protein powder was contaminated with toxic heavy metals, seeking to reassure consumers even as the legal dispute over what is in the products plays out.
According to FOX 13 Seattle, the lawsuit at the center of the dispute was originally filed against Costco. The complaint alleges that the store knowingly sold Orgain products that were contaminated with unsafe levels of heavy metals, framing the issue not only as a question of what was in the powder but also of what the retailer allegedly knew when it put the products on its shelves.
The specific substances named in the allegations are ones that draw immediate concern when linked to a consumable product. The lawsuit points to arsenic, lead, and cadmium, describing them as being present at unsafe levels in the Orgain products. Those are the kinds of heavy metals that regulators and health experts routinely warn about when they turn up in food and drink.
In a statement provided to FOX 13, Orgain rejected the idea that its products pose a danger. The company said its products are safe to consume. It added that while trace amounts of substances that occur in the environment can be present in plant based ingredients, its products comply with applicable food safety standards and guidance, an argument that seeks to place any detectable substances within accepted limits.
The company was firm in defending its brand as the claims circulated. Orgain said it stands behind the safety and quality of its products, a statement meant to signal confidence in the face of the lawsuit rather than any retreat from the market. For now, the company's position is that the products remain safe for the people who buy and use them.
One side of the story has yet to be heard in full. FOX 13 says it also reached out to Costco about the claims and is waiting to hear back. Until the retailer responds and the case moves forward, the dispute remains a contest between the allegations laid out in the lawsuit and Orgain's insistence that its protein powder meets the standards it is held to.