=McDonald's Sued Over 'Mozzarella Sticks'

(RTTNews) - A California man has filed a lawsuit against McDonald's alleging that the fast food giant is defrauding customers by cramming its mozzarella sticks with filler instead of real cheese.

Chris Howe is seeking at least $5 million in damages on behalf of consumers in 42 states and the District of Columbia.

The plaintiff accuses McDonald's of unfair and fraudulent competition, false advertising, and breach of warranty.

The lawsuits claims that instead of using real mozzarella as McDonald's ads promises, the fast food company uses starch and other "filler" ingredients.

Howe says, "The sticks are filled with a substance that is composed (in part) of starch, in violation of the federal standards of identity for 'mozzarella' cheese, and contrary to reasonable consumers' expectations regarding the meaning of the term 'mozzarella.'"

The suit says tests found that Mozzarella sticks contained more water and starch than federal food labeling laws allow.