A heartbreaking incident has unfolded as an Ivy League student with a heart condition tragically passed away after consuming Panera Bread’s “charged lemonade,” which, shockingly, contains more caffeine than a combination of Red Bull and Monster energy drinks. This distressing incident has led to a lawsuit, which alleges that Panera failed to adequately inform consumers about the dangerous contents of this beverage.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the parents of Sarah Katz, a 21-year-old University of Pennsylvania student who, despite her young age, had already achieved remarkable feats such as teaching CPR in underserved communities and serving as a research assistant at a children’s hospital. Katz suffered from long QT syndrome type 1, a heart condition that made her susceptible to abnormal heart rhythms and had been advised by her doctors to avoid energy drinks. On September 10, 2022, she purchased a charged lemonade from a Panera Bread outlet in Philadelphia, which tragically led to her going into cardiac arrest hours later, ultimately resulting in her untimely death.
Katz’s roommate and close friend, Victoria Rose Conroy, emphasized how diligent Katz was in managing her health condition. She stated that if Katz had been aware of the substantial caffeine content in the charged lemonade, she would never have considered consuming it.
The lawsuit contends that Panera’s charged lemonade was presented alongside non-caffeinated and less caffeinated drinks, marketed as a “plant-based and clean” beverage that equaled the caffeine content of the restaurant’s dark roast coffee. However, the lawsuit reveals that a large serving of charged lemonade contains a staggering 390 milligrams of caffeine, exceeding the caffeine content of any size of Panera’s dark roast coffee. To make matters worse, the charged lemonade also contains guarana extract, an additional stimulant, and the equivalent of almost 30 teaspoons of sugar.
Elizabeth Crawford, a partner at the Philadelphia-based law firm Kline & Specter, PC, likened the charged lemonade to an energy drink disguised as lemonade. She emphasized the necessity of proper warnings for such beverages.
The lawsuit categorizes Panera’s charged lemonade as “defective in design because it is a dangerous energy drink.” It points out that these unregulated beverages lack any warning about their potentially dangerous effects, including life-threatening impacts on blood pressure, heart rate, and brain function.
Conroy fondly remembered Katz as an outstanding student and an exceptionally passionate individual who made a positive impact on everyone she encountered. Despite her health condition, Katz remained determined to achieve her goals and never let her condition deter her from pursuing her dreams.
Katz had been diagnosed with long QT syndrome at the tender age of 5, but with regular medical check-ups and appropriate medication, she managed her condition effectively. According to Dr. Charles Berul, an electrophysiologist at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, caffeine in moderation is permissible for long QT patients. However, he cautioned against the consumption of energy drinks, especially those containing additional stimulants like taurine.
The lawsuit also revealed that Katz had purchased an Unlimited Sip Club membership from Panera, allowing her unlimited drinks for a monthly fee. Conroy disclosed that Katz had bought at least one other charged lemonade in the days preceding her cardiac arrest. Tragically, on the day of her death, Katz consumed a charged lemonade and collapsed while attending a friend’s birthday gathering at a restaurant. Emergency responders transported her to the hospital, where she suffered another cardiac arrest, ultimately leading to her demise.
A medical examiner’s report confirmed that Katz’s cause of death was cardiac arrhythmia due to long QT syndrome. Although the report did not attribute the beverage as a contributing factor, it noted the absence of any drugs in Katz’s system, apart from those administered by the hospital in an attempt to resuscitate her.
This tragic incident highlights the potential risks of caffeine consumption, not only for individuals with heart conditions but also for those with underlying health conditions, pregnant or breastfeeding individuals, and children. The Food and Drug Administration cautions against the consumption of large amounts of caffeine due to these potential health risks.
Panera’s charged lemonade has garnered attention on social media, with one customer sharing a viral TikTok video highlighting the drink’s unexpectedly high caffeine content. The customer remarked that the beverage should come with a warning due to its delicious yet potentially dangerous nature.
The lawsuit aims to raise awareness of the dangers of Panera’s charged lemonade and ensure that consumers are properly informed about its contents. Katz’s parents are determined to prevent such a tragedy from happening to others and stress the importance of understanding what’s in the beverage before consuming it. Panera Bread has not yet responded to the lawsuit, leaving the fate of this case uncertain.