Thanks in part to opportunistic plaintiffs’ lawyers and the fear of lawsuits, fewer King Cakes will have hidden surprises this Mardi Gras season.

According to news reports, some bakeries in Louisiana and elsewhere have decided to leave out the baked-in trinkets because of fear of lawsuits should a hidden prize lead to a broken tooth or choking incident. Although non-edible items are traditionally forbidden in confections in the U.S., and the Federal Drug Administration has been on record as noting king cakes fall into that category, the FDA has been clear to note that it "has not taken any enforcement action or issued any regulatory requirements specific to king cakes."

"There's a very simple reason you don't find favors in king cakes anymore: We have too many lawyers in America," said Poppy Tooker, host of "Louisiana Eats," a radio program heard on some NPR affiliates in the South.

—Source: The Wall Street Journal