Settlement reached in lawsuit against French Meadow Bakery
MINNEAPOLIS - The French Meadow Bakery has agreed to relabel more than 5,000 cases of bread that federal authorities seized earlier this month because they were allegedly mislabeled as being "wheat free" and "wheat alternative."
Under a settlement signed by U.S. District Judge Michael Davis on Wednesday, French Meadow agreed to relabel all of the bread, which amounts to around 25,000 to 30,000 loaves.
Once relabeled and inspected, the bread, which is frozen, can be shipped and sold to consumers, the settlement says.
The bread products at issue contain the grains spelt or Kamut. Officials said those grains are types of wheat and could endanger people with wheat allergies, and therefore shouldn't be labeled as wheat free or wheat alternative.
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"We're hoping we can start shipping the bread by Friday, if we can reach an agreement with FDA technical staff about what the label will say," said John Mulligan, an attorney for the bakery.
As part of the settlement, French Meadow also agreed to pay all costs associated with the FDA's review and approval of the relabeling.
"It is more than a nominal cost," Mulligan said, though he declined to estimate the final bill.
The bakery also agreed in the future not to label its products containing spelt or Kamut as being wheat free or wheat alternative, or as suitable for people with wheat allergies.
Wheat allergies are among the most common of food allergies and can be life-threatening, especially to children, according to the FDA.
Steven Shapiro, vice president of the bakery, said the spelt bread is sold in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and parts of Canada.
The seized products include: HealthSeed Spelt Bread, Spelt Bread, White Spelt Bread, Cinnamon Raisin Spelt Bread, Spelt Bread with Wild Rice, 100 Percent Kamut Bread, Spelt Pizza Crusts, Spelt Bagels and Spelt Garlic Texas Toast.
