Tag: olive oil

  • Greece Files Charges Against Group Accused of Selling Fake Olive Oil

    Greek officials have reportedly charged seven people with criminal fraud and money laundering related to the sale of adulterated olive oil. The group allegedly added green dyes to sunflower seed oil then sold it off-market as extra-virgin olive oil. Most of the oil was sold in Greece or exported to Germany and other EU countries…

  • Two Classes Certified in Olive Oil Lawsuit

    A California federal court has certified two classes alleging that Deoleo USA Inc., importer of Bertolli and Carapelli olive oils, misleadingly labeled its products as “extra virgin” and “imported from Italy.” Koller v. Med Foods, Inc., No. 14-2400 (N.D. Cal., entered August 24, 2017). Details on the court’s denial of a motion to dismiss appear…

  • Court Dismisses Truffle-Oil Class Action

    A federal court has dismissed a putative class action alleging Monini North America’s truffle olive oils do not contain truffles, holding that the plaintiffs’ concession that the oil tasted and smelled like truffles was fatal to their claims. Jessani v. Monini N. Am., No. 17-3257 (S.D.N.Y., entered August 3, 2017). Additional details about the complaint…

  • Truffle Oil False Labeling Suits Filed

    Two proposed class actions have been filed in California claiming false labeling of truffle­-flavored olive oil. Schiffman v. Urbani Truffles, No. 17­-935 (E.D. Cal., filed May 3, 2017); Quiroz v. Sabatino Truffles, No. 17­-783 (C.D. Cal., filed May 3, 2017). The plaintiffs argue that the olive oil producers add 2,4 ­dithiapentane to flavor their products…

  • Class Actions Claim “Truffle” Oil Contains Chemical Flavoring, Not Real Truffles

    Two putative class actions allege that Trader Joe’s “Black Truffle Flavored” olive oil and Monini’s “White Truffle Flavored” olive oil are flavored with synthetic chemicals rather than truffles. Brumfield v. Trader Joe’s, No. 17-­3239 (S.D.N.Y, filed May 2, 2017); Jessani v. Monini N. Am., No. 17-­3257 (S.D.N.Y., filed May 2, 2017). The plaintiffs argue that…

  • Georgia Court Dismisses Olive Oil Suit Against Dr. Oz

    A Georgia court has dismissed with prejudice a complaint against television personality Mehmet Oz accusing the physician of making false claims about the quality of olive oil in the United States, finding that Oz’s statements were protected under a state anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation) law protecting speech made in connection with an issue…

  • Olive Oil Industry Group Sues Dr. Oz

    The North American Olive Oil Association (NAOOA) has filed a lawsuit against Mehmet Oz of “The Dr. Oz Show” alleging he falsely told his audience in a May 2016 episode that 80 percent of olive oil sold in supermarkets is fraudulent. N. Am. Olive Oil Ass’n v. Oz, No. 283156 (Ga. Super. Ct., Fulton Cty.,…

  • Olive Oil False Ad Class Certified

    A California federal court has granted certification to a class of consumers alleging that Salov North America Corp., maker of Filippo Berio olive oil, misleads consumers by labeling its oil as “Imported from Italy” even though most of the oil is produced in Tunisia, Greece and Spain. Kumar v. Salov N. Am. Corp., No. 14-2411…