N.J. sauce company accused of ‘tomato fraud,’ is not authentic Italian, lawsuit says
A New Jersey sauce company is being sued for allegedly mislabeling its canned tomatoes as authentic Italian goods.Summary
West Deptford’s Cento Fine Foods, Inc. is facing a lawsuit alleging that it is committing “tomato fraud” by marketing its canned products as authentic Italian goods. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in California, claims that the company’s “Certified San Marzano” labeling falsely suggests the tomatoes meet strict Italian certification standards. San Marzano tomatoes are a premium Italian plum tomato protected under Europe’s “Protected Designation of Origin” rules, which require the tomatoes to be grown and processed in a specific region. The plaintiffs argue that the label does not accurately describe the origin of the tomatoes and that consumers are paying higher prices for the advertised authenticity. Cento Fine Foods denies the claims, stating that its tomatoes undergo strict quality controls and are farmed by professionals in the Sarnese-Nocerino region of southern Italy. The lawsuit seeks $500 for each plaintiff, at least $25 million in restitution for affected customers, and $10,000 for each plaintiff. The company has vowed to defend itself vigorously.
(Source：Nj)