June 14, 2006

As the LA Times reports, Yum Foods (owner of Kentucky Fried Chicken) has just been sued by a retired physician, represented by The Center for Science in the Public Interest. The plaintiff claims that when he purchased KFC's extra-crispy chicken he did not know it was cooked in partially hydrogenated oil. He is seeking class action status, as presumably other folks were similarly ignorant.

The plaintiff has not claimed injury. He has not claimed he is sick because of eating the chicken, or that the food was unfit to be consumed, or illegal in any way. He is claiming that trans-fats should be removed from restaurant menus across the land.

But isn't this a matter for public ordering (legislation, regulation), not tort law? Sanctions, anyone?