Take these lawsuits with a grain of salt, the Los Angeles Times urges in an editorial this week about two suits that "bring little common sense to the table."
The lawsuits, both out of New Jersey, include one demanding a warning label that says consuming hot dogs "increases the risk of cancer," and another that demands Denny's restaurant menus include the sodium content of all its dishes.
The Times states the suits "represent the kind of where-does-it-end silliness that makes even reasonable food-labeling laws seem out to lunch."
The one benefit to such lawsuits, the paper concludes, is that crazy-making headlines make consumers ask more questions about their food.
According to the Times, "In June, Denny's introduced a line of healthier alternatives with lower salt and fat content. It did so because of consumer demand, not fringe lawsuits."