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Vegan Sues McDonald's Over Misleading French Fries

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Feb 17, 2006 12:47 am US/Pacific

Vegan Sues McDonald's Over Misleading French Fries

LOS ANGELES (CBS) ― A Los Angeles woman and professed vegan has filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against McDonald's for allegedly misleading consumers into believing the restaurants French fries were wheat- and dairy-free.

Nadia Sugich filed the Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit, describing herself as a vegan since 1994 who "is opposed to eating any meat, fish or dairy products or by-products."

The McDonald's Corp. on Monday acknowledged that the chain uses wheat and dairy ingredients to flavor its French fries. Until recently, the company said its fries were free of gluten, milk and wheat allergens.

In the court papers filed Wednesday, Sugich claims she would not have bought or eaten the French fries if she had known they contained dairy and were not vegan.

A representative for McDonald's was not immediately available to comment on Sugich's lawsuit.

According to the complaint, Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald's operates more than 350 restaurants in California.

The lawsuit, alleging fraudulent and unfair business practices, was filed on behalf of California consumers who have eaten McDonald's fries in the past four years and are concerned about the consumption of dairy or wheat products for health, moral or philosophical reasons.

Among her requests of the court, Sugich asked that the class be reimbursed for their French fry purchases.

(© 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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