Walgreens’ Alcohol-Free Aloe Vera Body Gel was reportedly found to contain one of aloe’s three chemical makers, malic acid. Acemannan and glucose were not found, which Bloomberg said means the presence of aloe could neither be confirmed nor ruled out.

The report comes months after a class-action lawsuit was filed against the Texas-based company that manufactures aloe products for Walgreens, Walmart and Target. That company, Fruit of the Earth, responded to Bloomberg’s article by calling it utterly false.

The company argued in a statement to The Huffington Post that acemannan doesn’t equate to aloe, but said its tests nevertheless show Fruit of the Earth products do contain the chemical maker. The company said it would share its test results in the class-action litigation.

“The true test of whether the product contains aloe is to trace the aloe ingredient from the aloe leaves, through processing, and to the manufacturer’s use of the aloe ingredient in the finished product,” the company said.

As for the presence of maltodextrin, Fruit of the Earth said a production step “uses maltodextrin to aid in the spray drying process.”

Walmart and CVS appear to be taking their supplier’s word. A Walmart spokesman said in an email to HuffPost that the retailer would continue to sell the product. A spokeswoman for Target declined comment, citing the litigation.

Aloe vera, which contains vitamins, anti-inflammatory enzymes, fatty acids and minerals, has a range of health benefits. Acemannan has shown anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, and appears to promote cell growth, studies have shown.

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