Lawsuit Seeks to Ban Oreos in California

SAN FRANCISCO -- A public interest
lawyer has filed a lawsuit seeking to ban the sale of Oreo cookies to children in California because they contain trans fats.

Attorney Stephen Joseph filed the suit in Marin County Superior Court against the Nabisco division of Kraft Foods. The suit, the first of its kind in the U.S., asks for an injunction ordering Kraft Foods to desist from selling Nabisco Oreo cookies to children in California, partially because the cookies are made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, which is also called trans fat.

Joseph said his lawsuit differs from recent high-profile lawsuits against tobacco companies and McDonald's because his suit is about the hidden nature of
trans fat and the marketing to children. In his suit he cites the Nabiscoworld Web site, which offers games for children, like Oreo stacking contests.

In addition to the Oreo suit, Joseph has formed BanTransFats.com, Inc., a non-profit corporation, and has printed "Don't Partially Hydrogenate Me" T-Shirts.
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