Food manufacturer Cento is committing "tomato fraud," lawsuit alleges

MoneyWatch Food manufacturer Cento is committing "tomato fraud," lawsuit alleges .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-moneywatch.jpg'); } By Mary Cunningham Mary Cunningham Reporter, MoneyWatch Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. She previously worked at "60 Minutes," CBSNews.com and CBS News 24/7 as part of the CBS News Associate Program. Read Full Bio Mary Cunningham May 6, 2026 / 11:26 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Two California residents are suing Cento Fine Foods, alleging the company engaged in "tomato fraud" by claiming that the tomatoes in one of its canned products are the authentic San Marzano variety from Italy.The plaintiffs claim that Cento's "Certified San Marzano" labeling is "false, misleading and unfair," alleging that the tomatoes in the product lack the quality and taste associated with the real fruit.New Jersey-based Cento Fine Foods did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On its website, the company says its San Marzano tomatoes are certified by an independent third-party agency called Agri-Cert. However, Cento's labeling suggests the product has an official DOP designation, a label granted to San Marzano tomatoes by an Italian consortium that stands for 'protected designation of origin,' the lawsuit alleges.Cento's label designs are used to "falsely convey they are the famous San Marzano tomato grown in the traditional method and certified by [the] Consortium," the suit alleges.The consortium, known as Il Consorzio di Tutela del Pomodoro San Marzano DOP, promotes and regulates the sale of San Marzano tomatoes, which the suit states must meet "strict production and quality standards." On its website, Cento says that San Marzano tomatoes come from the town that bears their name in the Campania region of southern Italy. The tomatoes have a "thicker tomato wall, fewer seeds and less acidity than other tomatoes, making them ideal for authentic Italian cuisi...