Costco sued over preservatives in its $5 rotisserie chickens

Two women in Southern California filed a proposed class-action lawsuit on Jan. 22 in the Southern District of California, alleging Costco falsely labeled its Kirkland Signature Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken as preservative-free. The complaint and Costco say the chickens are made with sodium phosphate and carrageenan.

The filing includes a photo of a store sign listing qualities including: gluten free, no artificial flavors and no preservatives; the sign showed the chickens priced at $4.99. Those descriptions also previously appeared on Costco’s website, the complaint says. Costco has removed statements about preservatives from its labeling and signs, according to USA Today.

"To maintain consistency among the labeling on our rotisserie chickens and the signs in our warehouses/online presentations, we have removed statements concerning preservatives from the signs and online presentations," the company said in a statement. Costco said, "We use carrageenan and sodium phosphate to support moisture retention, texture, and product consistency during cooking." The company added that "Both ingredients are approved by food safety authorities." The National Institutes of Health says sodium phosphate is used for preserving moisture or color and enhancing and stabilizing frozen foods, and the Food and Drug Administration considers it safe for consumption.

The NIH also notes it is commonly prescribed as a laxative for colonoscopy preparation. The U.S.

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