Comparing the industry’s tactics to those of Big Tobacco, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu filed what he called a “first-of-its-kind” lawsuit against several of the nation’s largest ultra-processed food manufacturers.

Chiu alleges the companies knowingly produce products that are highly addictive and harmful, violating California’s Unfair Competition Law.

The lawsuit says the dangers of ultra-processed foods are “not solely about the amount of calories, fat, sugar, salt, or carbohydrates consumed.”

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“The high levels of processing change the physical and chemical structure of the foods and change how humans digest them,” officials said.

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Kraft Heinz, Mondelez, Post Holdings, Coca-Cola,

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