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Panera Bread says it's axing controversial item from its menus after spate of deaths
Panera Bread will phase out its controversial Charged Lemonade from stores nationwide after the drinks were linked to several deaths.
A spokesperson for the chain said the change was part of a 'menu transformation' and internal memos suggest it could begin within the next two weeks.
The move comes after lawsuits blamed the highly caffeinated drinks for two deaths and heart damage in a third patient.
The family of a Pennsylvania college student who had a pre-existing heart condition alleged she died after drinking a large Charged Lemonade in 2022.
A second lawsuit was filed in December by the family of a disabled Florida man, 46, who also died after drinking several Charged Lemonades.
Sarah Katz (pictured) died on September 10, 2022, just hours after she consumed a large Charged Lemonade from a branch of Panera Bread in Philadelphia
The lawsuit claims that Mr Brown was 'reasonably confident it was a traditional lemonade containing a reasonable amount of caffeine safe for him to drink'
A regular size of Charged Lemonade, which is 20 ounces, has 260 milligrams of caffeine. The large, which comes in a 30-ounce cup, has 390 milligrams
A third lawsuit was filed in January by Lauren Skerritt, a 28-year-old from Rhode Island who claimed the beverage left her with 'permanent' heart injuries.
A 30-ounce large Charged Lemonade contains 390 milligrams, which is nearly the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) entire recommended daily limit.
A spokesperson for Panera said Tuesday that the phasing out of the drinks was due to customer feedback.
'We listened to more than 30,000 guests about what they wanted from Panera, and are focusing next on the broad array of beverages we know our guests desire — ranging from exciting, on-trend flavors, to low sugar and low-caffeine options,' they said.
After news of the first lawsuit broke, Panera put more detailed disclosures in all of its restaurants and on its website warning customers to consume the drinks in moderation.
The chain also stated that they were not recommended for children, pregnant women, breastfeeding moms or people sensitive to caffeine.
Internal memos shared with NBC News by senior staff in Missouri and Pennsylvania indicate the phase-out could happen in two weeks.
But not all employees were aware of the change - including staff in one store in New York City who said they had no knowledge of the move.
Charged Lemonades first became mired in controversy last October when the family of Sarah Katz, 21, blamed the high caffeine content on her cardiac arrest.
The University of Pennsylvania student died in 2022 just hours after she consumed a large Charged Lemonade from a branch of Panera Bread in Philadelphia.
A regular size, which is 20 ounces, has 260 milligrams of caffeine. The large, which comes in a 30-ounce cup, has 390 milligrams.
In comparison, the average eight-ounce cup of coffee has 80 to 95 milligrams of caffeine.
The FDA's recommended daily caffeine limit is 400 milligrams.
Ms Katz had been diagnosed with the heart rhythm condition long QT syndrome as a child, which caused her heart to beat irregularly (arrhythmia).
Dr Stuart Fischer, an internal medicine physician in New York, previously told DailyMail.com that caffeine can eliminate the vital pauses between heartbeats for people with long QT syndrome.
'Patients with this condition need a little bit longer than usual to reboot after the heart muscle has contracted.'
Caffeine, he explains, speeds up the beating pattern, placing too much stress on the already stretched organ.
'If there is too much activity when the muscle needs to relax, it can be potentially fatal or at least a major medical emergency.'
Ms Katz had managed her condition by taking medication and limiting caffeine, according to legal documents.
A lawsuit filed in December alleged that Dennis Brown, 46, went into cardiac arrest just after he left his local branch of Panera Bread in Fleming Island.
He was found unresponsive on the sidewalk and pronounced dead on the scene.
According to the lawsuit, Mr Brown, who lived with developmental disabilities and high blood pressure, started ordering the drinks consistently three weeks before his death.
Mr Brown had a habit of ordering three drinks in a row, according to the lawyer representing the family, and drank three charged lemonades with his dinner the day of his death.