Truvia maker settles class-action suit for $6.1M; Hawaii woman sued over sweetener ingredients

The maker of Truvia Natural Sweetener will pay $6.1 million to settle a class-action lawsuit initiated by a Hawaii woman.

Kailua-Kona resident Denise Howerton was the first to sue Cargill, which manufactures the product sold nationwide. Her lawsuit said the company made misleading statements about Truvia being a natural sweetener.

Howerton and the four others who filed similar lawsuits will receive $2,000 each from the settlement. Howerton's attorney Lawrence Cohn says the remainder will go to attorneys' fees and to those who bought the product between July 2008 and July 2014.

The settlement approved by a federal judge in Honolulu in November says attorneys will receive $1.8 million. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports (http://ow.ly/Fr1eR ) class members can receive a $45 cash refund or a $90 voucher for another Truvia product.

___

Information from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser, http://www.staradvertiser.com