Givaudan, Other Defendants Demur to Toxic Tort Suit by Workers at Food Plant

LOS ANGELES — Givaudan Flavors Corp. has joined other defendants in asking for dismissal of claims that raw ingredients they sold to a food flavorings firm caused pulmonary ailments in the firm’s workers.

Givaudan submitted a demurrer in Los Angeles Superior Court Oct. 4 to each claim made by Hector Antonio Linares and Luis Amilcar Coreas, who allege that they suffer from chronic obstructive lung disease as a result of exposure to diacetyl, acetyl propionyl (2,3-pentanedione) and other food flavoring chemicals while employed as packers and mixers at Kerry Ingredients & Flavours in City of Commerce, Calif.

Linares says he …