Subway accused of selling fake tuna in footlong fraud lawsuit
FILE - Subway has announced that it partnered with Beyond Meat to test a brand new meatless meatball sub. (Photo by Alex Tai via Getty Images)
There might be something fishy about the tuna at Subway.
The chain is being accused of committing footlong fraud by serving fake tuna in its sandwiches and wraps, in a lawsuit alleging the fish is actually made with "a mixture of various concoctions," the Washington Post reports.
The complaint, recently filed with the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of California, allegedly tested "multiple samples" of the sandwich filling at independent labs. The reports allegedly indicated that the ingredient medley was blended together to appear to be tuna, however, there was no tuna or fish present.
An attorney would not comment on what exactly ingredients were found during the lab tests, according to the outlet. Subway did not immediately return Fox News' request for comment.
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Two plaintiffs are reportedly suing the sandwich chain under federal and state claims for fraud, intentional misrepresentation and unjust enrichment, among other offenses. The plaintiffs allege that they were lied to and "tricked into buying food items that wholly lacked the ingredients they reasonably thought they were purchasing."
In a statement obtained by the Washington Post, a spokesperson for Subway insisted that the chain only serves real tuna.
"Tuna is one of our most popular sandwiches. Our restaurants receive pure tuna, mix it with mayonnaise and serve on a freshly made sandwich to our guests," said Katia Noll, senior director for global food safety and quality at Subway.
It's not the first time the sandwich chain's ingredients have been questioned by consumers. In 2014, Subway made headlines for announcing the removal of the controversial chemical azodiacarbonamide, also found in yoga mats, from its bread products.