24 October 2023 , 12:07
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A student tragically died after she drank Charged Lemonade from Panera Bread - and now her family are suing the company which produces it.
Sarah Katz, 21, had long QT syndrome type 1 - a heart condition which led to her avoiding energy drinks at the recommendation of her doctors, a legal complaint filed Monday said. But unbeknownst to Sarah, Panera Bread’s Charged Lemonade contains more caffeine than a can of Red Bull and Monster combined.
The legal complaint was filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, and described the lemonade as a “dangerous energy drink ” - arguing Panera did not appropriately warn consumers about its ingredients. A Panera spokesperson said they were “very saddened” about the death, adding: “At Panera, we strongly believe in transparency around our ingredients. We will work quickly to thoroughly investigate this matter.”
Sarah, a University of Pennsylvania student who taught CPR and a research assistant at a children’s hospital, bought the drink from a Panera Bread restaurant in Philadelphia on September 10, 2022. Her roommate and close friend, Victoria Rose Conroy, said she went into cardiac arrest hours later.
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The Charged Lemonade is sold at Panera Bread restaurants (Gado via Getty Images)“She was very, very vigilant about what she needed to do to keep herself safe,” Conroy added. “I guarantee if Sarah had known how much caffeine this was, she never would have touched it with a 10-foot pole.”
The lemonade is advertised as “plant-based and clean” and claimed it contained as much caffeine as the restaurant's dark roast coffee according to photos of the menu - included in the wrongful death lawsuit. But with 390 milligrams in the drink there is more caffeine than any size of their dark roast coffee, it includes another stimulant called guarana extract, and almost 30 teaspoons of sugar in the drink, NBC reported.
It has it has the same amount of caffeine as their dark roast coffee (Gado via Getty Images)Kline & Specter law firm partner Elizabeth Crawford said: “I think everyone thinks lemonade is safe. And really, this isn’t lemonade at all. It’s an energy drink that has lemon flavour. It should have an adequate warning.” The lawsuit describes Charged Lemonade as “defective in design because it is a dangerous energy drink,” adding: “These unregulated beverages include no warning of any potentially dangerous effects, even the life-threatening effects on blood pressure, heart rate, and/or brain function.”
Sarah, who was diagnosed with long QT aged 5, is “the most involved and passionate person I’ve ever met,” according to Conroy. Despite making many lifestyle changes due to her condition, she “never let it stop her from achieving the things that she wanted to do." Conroy added: “She was taken from us so soon, and she shouldn’t have been. She had so much more to give.”
Long QT is described by the American Heart Association as a disorder of the heart’s electrical system, causing abnormal heart rhythms due to exercise or stress. Usually, it can be managed with medication, which Sarah had done successfully throughout her life.
Around 1 in 2,000 people have long QT from birth - with some showing no symptoms. Consuming large amounts of caffeine can pose a risk for those who suffer from the condition.