• by Tanya Gazdik , Yesterday

A federal class action lawsuit is claiming McDonald’s is misleading the public about the contents of its popular McRib sandwich.

According to the complaint, what McDonald’s calls a “pork rib patty” is actually composed of “lower-grade pork products such as... pork shoulder, heart, tripe, and scalded stomach,” according to Fortune. 

McDonald’s calling the sandwich a “McRib” is a “deliberate sleight of hand,” per the lawsuit. "McDonald’s deceptive omissions and misleading marketing have resulted in millions of dollars in consumer harm.”

“The McRib is back!” is a phrase recognized across the United States, stirring excitement among McDonald’s customers eager for the limited-time sandwich offering, according to the complaint. "For decades, McDonald’s has cultivated a sense of anticipation around the McRib, leveraging its scarcity to drive sales across its many locations. Fans eagerly await each return, trusting that the sandwich they’re biting into is exactly what the name implies: a sandwich crafted using pork 'rib' meat, which is prized by consumers for its high fat content and rich flavor. The reality, however, is far from what McDonald’s advertising and branding suggest.”

McDonald’s said in a statement cited by USA Today and others that the lawsuit “distorts the facts and many of the claims are inaccurate.”

“We’re committed to using real, quality ingredients across our entire menu,” McDonald’s USA wrote. “Our fan-favorite McRib sandwich is made with 100% pork sourced from farmers and suppliers across the U.S. We’ve always been transparent about our ingredients so guests can make the right choice for them.”

The company said customers can find out what’s in their food via the McDonald’s website, in the McDonald’s app or at the company’s kiosks inside the restaurants.

“The global fast food giant continues to lean into ‘value and affordability’ as inflation worries grow, but customers feeling misled could put both of those selling points at risk,” according to Axios. “McDonald's plays into the McRib's almost cult-like status by only featuring the sandwich for a limited time at certain locations.”

The complaint was filed Dec. 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The plaintiffs are four consumers from California, New York, Illinois and Washington, D.C. 

“Each named plaintiff alleges they would not have purchased the McRib — or would have paid less for it — had they known it did not contain any actual pork rib meat,” according to People.