A federal court has rejected a request for summary judgment in a lawsuit regarding claims of false advertising for the artificial sweetener Splenda. This means that the case will go ahead as planned.

The plaintiff in the case is the Sugar Association, which has long claimed that Splenda's marketing slogan - "Made from sugar so it tastes like sugar" -- is being used to make consumers believe that the artificial sweetener contains natural sugar.

The manufacturers of Splenda (Johnson & Johnson, representing its subsidiary firm McNeil Nutritionals), requested a summary judgment on the grounds that the plaintiffs had unreasonably delayed bringing suit. This request was rejected, and the claims against Johnson & Johnson will be heard by a jury at a trial, which is now scheduled to begin on January 29, 2008.

Sources:
FoodNavigator.com