The lawsuit claims strict liability, negligence, unlawful confinement and violations of civil rights.

More than 50 middle school students in Oregon were fed pretzels that were seasoned with crushed oven cleaner last fall, according to a newly filed lawsuit.

About 37 pretzels coated with Alto-Cham concentrated oven cleaner — an industrial-strength caustic chemical made with sodium hydroxide — were served during sixth-grade lunch at Fowler Middle School in Tigard, a suburb of Portland, on October 20, 2025, according to a nearly $1 million lawsuit filed last month.

More than 50 students ate all or part of the impacted pretzels, according to Tigard-Tualatin School District records obtained by Fox 12.

  • Manjushri@piefed.socialEnglish
    5·
    4 days ago

    So I wouldn’t really blame the sub worker here

    It was the sub worker who noticed the problem, she didn’t cause it. She also had to push the lead kitchen worker to even look into it.

    According to the lawsuit, a substitute kitchen worker, Chloe Larson, first noticed the chemical was being used as seasoning and had to push the lead kitchen worker to investigate. The lawsuit alleges that Larson was only interviewed after she contacted police about her concerns.