The Voice News: Amazon.com Inc. is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit filed on May 23 in a Seattle federal court, accusing the company of selling rice products tainted with arsenic and other heavy metals.
The lawsuit targets 18 varieties of rice sold on Amazon, including well-known brands like Ben’s Original and Whole Foods’ 365 label. Plaintiffs claim the rice was sold without any warnings about potential health risks, despite being marketed to consumers—including children.
“Amazon sold these rice products with alarmingly high levels of heavy metals…with no warning whatsoever,” the complaint stated.
The legal action comes in response to a recent study by the nonprofit Healthy Babies, Bright Futures, which found arsenic in all 145 rice samples tested across the U.S. Notably, 28% of those samples exceeded FDA limits for infant rice cereal. The study also detected cadmium in nearly all samples, and lead and mercury in more than one-third.
Plaintiffs Ashley Wright and Merriman Blum allege they would not have purchased Iberia Basmati 100% Aged Original rice—or would have paid less—had they known about the contamination or the lack of testing.
The lawsuit seeks at least $5 million in damages for alleged violations of Washington state’s consumer protection laws.
Amazon has not yet commented on the case.
The case is Wright et al v Amazon.com Inc., U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, No. 25-00977.
