Dietz & Watson Sued Over ‘Smoked’ Gouda Cheese Labeling

Specialty meat and cheese producer Dietz & Watson Inc. misleads consumers into thinking its Smoked Gouda cheese gets its taste from being smoked, when it really comes from added smoke flavor, a new would-be class suit in federal court in New York alleges.

Smoking is a method of food preparation (and preservation) where a food is cooked over a fire containing different kinds of wood chips that impart powerful flavors, the Monday suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York alleges.

Dietz & Watson’s Smoked Gouda designates its characterizing flavor as smoked without any qualifying ...