WICHITA FALLS, TX (MMD Newswire) February 24, 2009 -- A Texas consumer is being sued by a company after she discovered toxic chemicals in their ice tea drink and created a website to warn others.

It all started when a Wichita Falls woman became suspicious after noticing her new jug of Red Diamond Tea gave off strong, noxious fumes. "The fumes coming out of that jug hit me like a wall. I knew the tea was contaminated with something nasty," Carolyn Neilson reported. After paying to have the tea tested at a private lab, she discovered it contained unusual petrochemicals found in an oil refinery. Chemicals so dangerous they are described on Material Safety Data Sheets as "explosively flammable."

What followed next can only best be described as shocking. "I found out the hard way there is no system by which a consumer can report contamination of a food or beverage in this country," Neilson states, "Since the FDA is overwhelmed and underfunded, the monumental task of overseeing food safety is left up to consumers. Yet, when you discover a contaminated food product you encounter roadblock after roadblock trying to get the word out."

Neilson sent the lab results to the grocery store chain, to Red Diamond, and to government agencies like FDA and Health Department. None of them were interested in testing a sample of her tea for themselves and none of them alerted the public. Red Diamond refused to even pull the lot number from store shelves.

Neilson felt she had to do something so she created a website to alert the public. "I have a duty and an obligation to warn others of a potential health hazard. What kind of person would I be if I didn't take any action and someone got injured or worse from drinking this contaminated beverage?"

Since starting her website, Neilson has received numerous emails from other customers reporting noxious fumes in their jugs of Red Diamond Tea. The fumes are described as smelling, "like kerosene," "an industrial plant," and "paint thinner." Most people pour the bad tea down the drain. They can't afford to get it privately tested and there are few labs in the country that will even test a food item from a consumer.

Red Diamond is suing her for libel and defamation in an attempt to intimidate her into taking down her consumer alert website.

www.reddiamondteaistoxic.com

Red Diamond Lawsuit is Case No. 168,848-B, 78th Judicial District, Wichita County, Texas

Contact:

Carolyn Neilson
(940) 781-5647
webmaster@reddiamondteaistoxic.com

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