Conagra Foods Must Face Lawsuit After Chef’s Quality Cooking Spray Allegedly Explodes, Burning Chef

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Conagra Exploding Cooking Spray Lawsuit Overview:

• Who: Conagra Foods Inc.
• What: A judge has ruled that Conagra must face half of the claims lodged against the company in a lawsuit alleging its cooking spray exploded and burned a Massachusetts chef.
• Where: Illinois

Conagra can’t escape a lawsuit alleging it and the maker of its Chef’s Quality cooking spray cans are liable for an explosion that hurt a Massachusetts chef working in a food truck, a judge has ruled.

On Friday, US District Court Judge Franklin U. Valderrama dismissed six of 12 counts filed against Conagra and Full-Fill Industries, LLC., but allowed six others to go ahead, including allegations that a design defect in the Chef’s Quality cooking spray can resulted in an unexpected explosion in a food truck. 

Conagra Chef’s Quality Cooking Spray Explodes, Ignites Unexpectedly

According to the original complaint, around June 3, 2017, plaintiff Pochanart Ericson—a chef who worked in a food truck—bought a can of Conagra Chef’s Quality Cooking Spray. 

The spray is used in commercial as well as consumer kitchens and outdoor grilling environments, she says.

Suddenly, while working in the food truck, a canister of the spray began spraying its flammable contents through the u-shaped vents at the bottom of the can, Ericson says, causing a “flash fire, flames and explosion.” 

The explosion and flames caused her to suffer burns, scarring, and disfigurement, in addition to pain and anguish, she says.

Ericson alleges the spray was stored and used in a normal manner, was some distance away from any heat source in the food truck and kept at a regular temperature.

While the defendants moved to dismiss all 12 counts against them, arguing the claims are all barred by the statutes of limitations, the judge did not agree.

He said it is unclear what statutes of limitations apply, so the claims can’t be barred for that reason.

Last year, a class action lawsuit lodged by consumers who claimed Conagra falsely advertised its Parkay “0 Calorie” spray moved forward, with a website posted to keep Class Members informed of developments in the case. 

Conagra was in the news last year, as a class of workers alleging violations of California wage laws asked a federal judge to sign off on a $18 million settlement.

Have you used Conagra’s Chef’s Quality cooking spray? What do you think of the allegations? Let us know in the comments. 

The plaintiff is represented by Frank V. Cesarone of Meyers & Flowers LLC. 

The Conagra Chef’s Quality Cooking Spray Lawsuit is Ericson v. Conagra Foods Inc. et al., Case No. 1:20-cv-07065, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. 

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