McDonald's Mozzarella Sticks Are Now the Subject of a Class Action Lawsuit

The plaintiffs claim the cheese isn't pure mozzarella like McDonald's says.

The world's largest burger chain has now been slammed with the world's cheesiest class action lawsuit. McDonald's is already in the midst of some social media backlash over whether its new menu addition, mozzarella sticks, actually contains any cheese after a few customers were apparently served hollow sticks. Now, a man in California is looking to get $5 million in damages from the company for himself and 40 other consumers involved in the suit, all because of the chain's claim that the sticks are "100 percent real cheese" and "real mozzarella," according to Law360.

Chris Howe, lead plaintiff, claimed in the lawsuit: "The sticks are filled with a substance that is composed (in part) of starch, in violation of the federal standards of identity for ‘mozzarella' cheese, and contrary to reasonable consumers' expectations regarding the meaning of the term ‘mozzarella.'"

Per Howe's claim, something like 3.76 percent of the cheese portion of McDonald's mozzarella sticks is actually starch filler. Federal guidelines reportedly prohibit the use of starch in products that are labeled "mozzarella cheese." The lawsuit says McDonald's cut costs by using a filler and therefore had used unfair and fraudulent advertising in claiming the menu item actually contained mozzarella cheese.

McDonald's refutes these claims, saying the company has not engaged in deceptive practices, as "our mozzarella cheese sticks are made with 100 percent low moisture part skim mozzarella cheese," a spokesman told Law360. The chain is poised to defend itself against this action. Cheese lovers everywhere are... probably not holding their breath.

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