Fake-News Story Claims AriZona Tea Contains Human Urine
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What the fact-checkers found
This story was first published on April 24th 2015
According to a circulating ‘news’ report, America’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently investigated popular US beverage maker AriZona Tea and discovered that human urine is used as an active ingredient in the company’s products.
The report claims that the FDA found thousands of gallons of urine in industrial containers at the company’s factories. The report further claims that around 6% of AriZona Tea products are made up of human urine and it is the urine that gives the drinks their signature flavour.
Not surprisingly, however, the claims in the report are utter nonsense. The FDA has made no such discovery. The report is a work of fiction that comes from the fake-news ‘satirical’ website Huzlers.
Nothing published on Huzlers should be taken seriously. The site has been responsible for an endless stream of nonsensical stories that circulate the Interwebs disguised as news, duping the unwary as they travel.
Of course, there are no credible news reports that back up the claims that AriZona Tea contains urine. Naturally, if there were really pee in the tea, then mainstream news outlets around the world would have extensively and gleefully reported on such a juicy scandal.
And, for the record, the company has repeatedly denied the nonsensical allegation via its Facebook Page.
Given the number of fake-news stories that now circulate, it is wise to check any ‘news’ reports that come your way via social media before you share them. Searching a news aggregator such as Google News will usually reveal if a circulating story is true.
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