Lawsuit Alleges This Jersey Based Company is Selling Imposter Tomatoes

A New Jersey food company is facing a lawsuit which alleges they're selling imposter tomatoes.

Seriously. Yeah, we take our food VERY seriously in New Jersey... especially Italian food, right?

Three chefs from Northern California filed a lawsuit last week, which accuses Cento of selling imposter San Marzano tomatoes, according to a report from the Courier-Post.

The lawsuit alleges that tomatoes are packaged in a way which leads the consumer to believe they're buying San Marzano tomatoes. When in fact Cento uses Pomodoro tomatoes.

Cento denies any wrongdoing saying their products are strictly regulated and their packaging is certified to a high standard.

The lawsuit alleges that consumers will pay more (or even choose San Marzano tomatoes over others) because consumers often believe San Marzano tomatoes "have a superior look and taste," the Courier-Post reports.

Apparently, San Marzano tomatoes are known by many as the best tomatoes in the world. They're known for their low acidity apparently because they're grown in volcanic soil near Naples.

Cento says their products are strictly regulated and says everything is certified.

"We take pride in the fact that our labels accurately describe the products inside," Cento's lawyers said in a statement issued this week.  "It exceeds industry standards in production and has always operated with the highest integrity."

Cento is currently headquartered in West Deptford, NJ.