Class actions claim Mahatma and First Street rice companies failed to disclose heavy metals in their brown rice products

Whole grain rice class action lawsuits overview:

• Who: Everett Scott filed separate class action lawsuits against Riviana Foods Inc. and First Street Food LLC, the makers of Mahatma Brown Whole Grain and First Street Long Grain Brown Rice.
• Why: Scott argues the companies failed to disclose that their respective brown whole grain rice products contain heavy metals, including arsenic and cadmium.
• Where: The whole grain rice class action lawsuits were filed in California federal court.

Two separate class action lawsuits allege Riviana Foods and First Street Food failed to disclose that their respective brown whole grain rice products contain heavy metals, including arsenic and cadmium.

Lead plaintiff in both cases, Everett Scott, claims Riviana and First Street Food were reckless and/or intentional in their alleged failure to disclose the presence of heavy metals in their Mahatma Brown Whole Grain and First Street Long Grain Brown Rice products, respectively.

“Reasonable consumers expect the rice products they purchase for their individual and family consumption will be safe for human consumption and not be contaminated (or has a material risk of being contaminated) with Heavy Metals, substances that are known to accumulate in the body and pose significant and dangerous health consequences,” the whole grain rice class actions say.

In both cases, Scott wants to represent a California class and nationwide class of consumers who purchased the brown whole grain rice products during the applicable statute of limitations period.

Companies capitalized on consumers’ desire for safe products, class actions say

Scott argues Riviana and First Street Food capitalized on consumers’ desire for safe products and that they would not have purchased Mahatma Brown Whole Grain Rice had they known it contained — or was at risk of containing — heavy metals.

“Consumers lack the scientific knowledge necessary to determine whether Defendant’s Product does in fact contain Heavy Metals, or to ascertain the true nature of the ingredients and quality of the Product,” the whole grain rice class actions say. 

Scott claims Riviana and First Street Food are guilty of breach of implied warranty and unjust enrichment, and in violation of California’s Consumer Legal Remedies Act in addition to the False Advertising Law and Unfair Competition Law.

The plaintiff in each case demands a jury trial and requests declaratory and injunctive relief and an award of actual, statutory, treble and punitive damages for himself and all class members.

Two consumers filed a similar class action lawsuit against Amazon.com Inc. in May over claims the company sells rice products with dangerous levels of heavy metals.

Have you purchased either Mahatma rice or First Street rice products? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Trenton R. Kashima of Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman PLLC and Nick Suciu of Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman PLLC.

The whole grain rice class action lawsuits are Scott, et al. v. Riviana Foods Inc., Case No. 1:25-cv-00735, and Scott, et al. v. First Street Foods LLC, both in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.

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