Business & Tech

Mom's Lawsuit Dubs Frozen Pizzas 'Toxic,' Seeks $5 Million in Damages

Katie Simpson of San Diego notes trans fats and says pizzas have a food additive banned worldwide.

A $5 million class-action lawsuit filed by a San Diego woman claims that Nestle— makers of DiGiorno, Stouffer's and California Pizza Kitchen frozen pizzas — is “placing profits over public health” by failing to remove trans fat.

The federal suit was filed Jan. 21 in U.S. District Court in San Diego on behalf of Katie Simpson, a mother of two young children. She notes the store, Target, where she most frequently purchased her pizzas, though the brands are commonly sold in supermarket chains from Albertson's to Vons, both of which have lcoations in Coronado. 

"The most frequent of Ms. Simpson’s purchases of Nestle Trans Fat Pizzas were at the Target located at 2911 Jamacha Road" near in Rancho San Diego, said the suit [attached in the media box as a PDF].

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The lawsuit states that the frozen pizzas in question shouldn't contain a toxic food additive banned all over the world, said Greg Weston, an attorney for the plaintiff.

California has banned trans fat in foods served in local restaurants,
but there are no bans on trans fat in packaged foods. The cities of New York
and Philadelphia are among the local governments that have enacted bans against trans fat in restaurant food.

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Weston said the suit seeks all monies Nestle has ever made from frozen
pizzas.

In a statement, Nestle said it will vigorously defend itself against all
"baseless allegations,'' saying its pizza products are in strict compliance
with both FDA and USDA regulations.

According to California Pizza Kitchen, the case applies only to frozen pizzas, not to restaurants bearing that name.

No hearing date has been set in the case, which has been assigned to
U.S. District Judge Janis Sammartino.

— City News Service contributed to this report.


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