File photo of Chick-Fil-A.
The chain has faced criticism for using a cheap chicken nugget sauce that’s loaded with nitrites and other additives that have led to concerns about its long-term health.
A lawsuit filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York accused the company of using a counterfeit product to defraud customers and said it is being held accountable.
Chick-Fil, which owns about 2.6 million restaurants nationwide, has faced a series of lawsuits since its acquisition of Chipotle Mexican Grill in 2006, including one from the Food and Drug Administration in 2011.
The lawsuit was filed by a group of consumers who said they had suffered health problems after drinking from a sample of Chick’s sauce.
Chick-Arts Corp., which makes the chicken nuggets sold in restaurants, has denied using a fake sauce.
The FDA investigation did not identify any products used in the Chipotle sauce, said attorney James Stearns, who is representing plaintiffs.
Stearns said he expects Chick-Bars, a company that sells chicken nugs and other nuggets from the company, will likely be found liable.
But the lawsuit alleges that Chipotle did not follow proper food safety procedures and that its suppliers violated federal law.
