Chipotle Mexican Grill Sued Over GMO-Free Menu Claims

A California woman has accused Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc of false advertising, alleging the chain’s GMO-free claims are misleading.

In her lawsuit filed Friday in federal court in San Francisco, the plaintiff Colleen Gallagher alleges Chipotle, which declared its menu free of controversial genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, back in April, violated the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act because its food labeling is false.

Chipotle's website carries disclaimers about the GMO content in its food. Those disclaimers say that "most animal feed in the U.S. is genetically modified, which means that the meat and dairy served at Chipotle are likely to come from animals given at least some GMO feed." They add that "many of the beverages sold in our restaurants contain genetically modified ingredients."

Gallagher contended that most Chipotle diners are unlikely to see these disclaimers, and will rely instead on the company's advertising.

Her lawsuit seeks class action status and unspecified damages. 

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