Omnivore Atlanta

A Madison County, Ill., court approved a settlement last Wednesday under which Tyson Foods Inc. — the nation’s largest meat producer — will donate 1.7 million pounds of chicken to Illinois food banks to end a nearly eight-year lawsuit.

The legal issue arose after accusations that the company had inflated the retail weight of poultry by infusing the meat with cold water. The class action suit ran into settlement issues because the people who bought the chicken as early as 2001 no longer have proof of purchase.

Instead, in an out of court settlement, Tyson has agreed to donate the unclaimed funds in the form of chicken to be distributed by Feeding Illinois, the former Illinois Food Bank Association.

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“I want my money!” Taco Bell owes a certain little dog $42 million:

A federal appeals court Friday ruled that Taco Bell is solely liable for $42 million in breach-of-contract awards to two Michigan men who created the diminutive mascot that starred in the Irvine fast-food giant’s hit $500-million advertising campaign in the 1990s.

TV commercials featured the dog decked out as a beret-sporting revolutionary or bandit in sombrero, stirring complaints that they amounted to derogatory depictions of Mexicans. But the spots featuring the Chihuahua and voice-over by actor Carlos Alazraqui were phenomenally successful.

The talking dog’s refrain “Yo quiero Taco Bell” became a pop-culture punch line, as well as “Drop the chalupa!” — an instant favorite with sports commentators — and “¡Viva Gorditas!” (Long live the little fat ones, the name of the Mexican food chain’s stuffed crunchy taco).

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