Cento Fine Foods faces class action over alleged San Marzano tomato fraud
Updated
Updated · Fox Business · May 6
Cento Fine Foods faces class action over alleged San Marzano tomato fraud
8 articles · Updated · Fox Business · May 6
A May 4 complaint in federal court in California seeks at least $25 million, alleging the New Jersey company falsely marketed canned tomatoes as "certified" San Marzano.
Plaintiffs say the products did not meet European DOP standards requiring production in a designated southern Italian region, and that they would not have bought them had they known.
Cento called the claim meritless and said it would seek dismissal; the company previously beat a similar New York federal lawsuit that was dismissed in 2020.
Is the battle over a can of tomatoes really about consumer fraud or a global trade war over food authenticity?
If a tomato is grown in the right soil, does a missing Italian seal make its 'certified' label a lie?