A Portland woman is suing Trader Joe's, alleging she found a fingertip from a rubber glove in a bottle of the supermarket's orange juice and may have swallowed a human fingertip. Julee O'Neil filed the lawsuit on Monday, seeking $10,000 in damages.
According to the lawsuit obtained by OregonLive, O'Neil purchased a 52-ounce bottle of Trader Joe's brand orange juice from a store in Portland's Hollywood neighbourhood on June 19, 2025. While drinking, she initially thought she saw a large pulp chunk but later realised it was part of a rubber glove.
The lawsuit states: 'She was and is concerned that the human hand that was in the tip of the glove was also severed and was part of the pulp she had been periodically drinking.' O'Neil said she gagged, felt a burning sensation in her mouth, and became nauseated, prompting her to visit a clinic.
More than 30 days before filing, O'Neil sent a written notice to Trader Joe's requesting a $10,000 settlement, but the company did not pay, according to Fox 12.
This case follows a separate legal matter in which Trader Joe's agreed to a $7.4 million settlement over allegations that it printed 10 digits of customers' debit and credit card numbers on receipts, violating the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act. The settlement, which covers 757,663 affected customers, is pending court approval on August 10, 2025. Trader Joe's has denied all allegations in that case.
