It’s a canned conspiracy.
Two Californians are suing Cento Fine Foods for allegedly committing “tomato fraud” — claiming the fruits in its canned products are not the coveted “Ferrari” of tomato varieties they boast, according to a saucy new lawsuit.
The plaintiffs alleged that New Jersey-based Cento is the “primary culprit of this tomato fraud” in the US for using “Certified San Marzano” labeling, according to the class action lawsuit obtained by The Post.
The lawsuit alleged that the tomatoes don’t live up to the luxurious taste of genuine San Marzano tomatoes — which are favored in Italian cooking for their thicker wall, fewer seeds, and lower acidity, court records said.
“San Marzano tomatoes are considered the Ferrari or Prada of canned tomato varieties. Loyalists say they are well worth the higher price tag compared to other Italian or domestically produced options,” the lawsuit stated.
“Defendant’s marketing and labeling of Cento San Marzanos as ‘Certified San Marzano’ tomatoes is false, misleading, and unfair,” the filing continued.
“They lack the taste, consistency, and other physical characteristics associated by consumers with certified San Marzano Tomatoes.”
Cento says on its website that its San Marzano tomatoes are certified by Agri-Cert, an independent third-party agency, using strict guidelines created to regulate the variety in Italy.
The luxe red fruits are given special protected status in the European Union, like other regional goods such as Champagne or Parmesan Cheese.
An independent consortium, Il Consorzio di Tutela del Pomodoro San Marzano DOP, verifies that fruits claiming to be San Marzano tomatoes are grown in the authentic region and meet proper criteria, the lawsuit explained.
Cento claimed they voluntarily stopped seeking certification from the consortium in the 2010s due to labeling requirements, ABC News reported.
The class action lawsuit, however, claims Cento was “ejected” as a member of the consortium “for committing fraud.”
Cento says that their luscious tomatoes are produced in the San Marzano region of Campania, Italy, approximately 22 miles southeast of Naples.
The Italian food company even allows customers to trace where their product was grown by using the code on their can, according to its website.
A lawyer for Cento Fine Foods told ABC that the claim is “entirely without merit” and that the company plans to “vigorously” defend the allegations.
“We believe this claim is entirely without merit. We have previously successfully defended a comparable lawsuit in New York federal court and will defend this claim vigorously as well, including seeking prompt dismissal,” the lawyer said.
The company was the subject of a lawsuit in New York in 2019, claiming that Cento failed to produce as many San Marzano tomatoes as they said.
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