While I wouldn't say that tomatoes are many people's favorite food, it's a pretty good staple. Pizza, pasta, there's so many options, even if you won't catch anyone taking a chomp straight out of a tomato.
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And in terms of the different types of tomato, the most coveted and widely appreciated is San Marzano tomatoes from Italy. But, one brand of tomatoes, Cento Fine Foods of New Jersey, is being sued, according to the New York Post. This comes after two Californian customers have alleged they have been incorrectly boasting "Certified San Marzano".
The lawsuit explained that "San Marzano tomatoes are considered the Ferrari or Prada of canned tomato varieties. Loyalists will say they are well worth the higher price tag compared to other Italian or domestically produced options." That's a pretty apt description.
The filing states that the "defendant's marketing and labeling of Cento San Marzanos... is false, misleading, and unfair." How, you ask? "They lack the taste, consistency, and other physical characteristics associated by consumers with certified San Marzano Tomatoes."
This is a particular concern as Cento does not directly verify the status of their tomatoes with the consortium they used to. Il Consorzio di Tutela del Pomodoro San Marzano DOP is the original Italian consortium which verifies the authenticity of the coveted tomatoes.
However, Cento says that they get their verification from Agri-Cert, as "labeling requirements" were easier to conform to via Agri-Cert rather than the DOP.
The Lawsuit Says Cento Were Ejected From the Tomato Consortium
But, the lawsuit says that Cento was "ejected" after they allegedly "committed fraud". However, Cento's website has a part on their website allowing customers to see where their tomatoes were grown.
So a lawyer from Cento Fine Foods claims the arguments from the customers are "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 in a statement.
This is a pretty wild lawsuit. While the authenticity of the Cento tomatoes has been doubted, we're sure that things will be ironed out eventually.
