---
title: "Ravioli Trees and Tortellini Bushes: What Should Courts Expect from the Reasonable Consumer When it Comes to “Natural” Claims?"
date: 2014-01-29T00:00:00-05:00
author: Import Bot
canonical_url: "https://www.kelleydrye.com/viewpoints/articles/ravioli-trees-and-tortellini-bushes-what-should-courts-expect-from-the-reasonable-consumer-when-it-comes-to-natural-claims"
section: Articles
---
# Ravioli Trees and Tortellini Bushes: What Should Courts Expect from the Reasonable Consumer When it Comes to ​“Natural” Claims?

  January 29, 2014

FDLI Food and Drug Policy Forum

 

 

 

 

 

 

Partner [John Villafranco](/Our-People/John-E-Villafranco) co-authored the *Food and Drug Policy Forum* article ​“Ravioli Trees and Tortellini Bushes: What Should Courts Expect from the Reasonable Consumer When it Comes to ​“Natural” Claims?” The article discusses how in recent years there have been many consumer class action cases alleging that advertisers are deceptively labeling their products as natural when the products include ingredients that are synthesized or genetically modified. As both the FDA and FTC have acknowledged that ​“natural” has a different meaning when used in regards to mass manufactured goods, John concludes that future courts should reject these types of false advertising claims when the consumers have no objective understanding of what natural means in the context of these products.

 

 

 - Share this entry 
    - 
    - 
    - 
    -
- [  View entry pdf ](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.kelleydrye.com/content/uploads/pdf-snapshots/ravioli-trees-and-tortellini-bushes-what-should-courts-expect-from-the-reasonable-consumer-when-it-comes-to-natural-claims-20230913223413.pdf)
 
 

### Attachments

- [Ravioli Trees and Tortellini Bushes What Should Courts Expect from the Reasonable Consumer When it](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.kelleydrye.com/content/uploads/attachments/Ravioli-Trees-and-Tortellini-Bushes-What-Should-Courts-Expect-from-the-Reasonable-Consumer-When-it.pdf)
 
 

### Related Services

- [Advertising and Marketing](https://www.kelleydrye.com/practices/advertising-and-marketing)
- [Food and Drug](https://www.kelleydrye.com/industries/food-and-drug)
 
 

  Article

 [  ![](https://d3iuizmsm2hayf.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/Listing-rectangles/Articles_Listing.svg) 

  ](https://www.kelleydrye.com/viewpoints/articles/transferable-tax-credits-after-the-obbba-due-diligence-and-risk-mitigation) 

 July 13, 2026

 [  ](https://www.kelleydrye.com/viewpoints/articles/transferable-tax-credits-after-the-obbba-due-diligence-and-risk-mitigation) 

 

 

 

 Blog

 [  ![](https://d3iuizmsm2hayf.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/Listing-rectangles/Blog_Post_Listing.svg) ![](https://d3iuizmsm2hayf.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/Listing-Images/adlaw_billboard_listing.webp?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=750&q=80&w=1125&s=e1a7aebcee8115938489d6575321e698) 

  ](https://www.kelleydrye.com/viewpoints/blogs/ad-law-access/cash-app-pays-out-to-states-in-multistate-settlement) 

Ad Law Access

 July 13, 2026

 [  ](https://www.kelleydrye.com/viewpoints/blogs/ad-law-access/cash-app-pays-out-to-states-in-multistate-settlement)
