'How Do You Mistake a Chemical for Salt?': Oregon School Sued Over Oven Cleaner Pretzels

A family is suing an Oregon school district for nearly $1 million (approximately £710,000) after more than 50 students ate pretzels contaminated with oven cleaner, prompting renewed attention online over how the mistake happened.

The incident took place at Fowler Middle School in Tigard on 20 October 2023, but the case has attracted renewed attention following a lawsuit filed in September 2024. Social media users have questioned how a cleaning chemical could have ended up on a school lunch.

Family Sues for Nearly $1 Million Over Lunchtime Chemical Scare

The lawsuit, filed on 9 September in Washington County Circuit Court, names the Tigard-Tualatin School District, the school's principal Cindy Pellicci and the lead kitchen worker accused of putting the substance on the pretzels.

The family is seeking up to $950,220.85 (approximately £710,000) across seven claims, including negligence, strict liability, unlawful confinement and alleged civil rights violations. The allegations have not been proven in court.

The case centres on a sixth-grade student identified as L.L., who allegedly experienced burning in his mouth and throat after eating a contaminated pretzel. The complaint also describes chest pain, stomach discomfort and continuing anxiety about eating school meals.

The lawsuit has brought renewed scrutiny to an incident that police previously investigated without filing criminal charges.

'Human Error': How Oven Cleaner Reached Children's Plates

According to district records, approximately 37 pretzels were distributed during lunch, and more than 50 students ate all or part of them, with some sharing pieces.

The pretzels had been sprinkled with crushed Alto-Shaam concentrated oven cleaner containing sodium hydroxide, a caustic chemical. The district previously attributed the contamination to human error.

According to the district's account, a packaged cleaning tablet had been left near an oven in a food preparation area over the weekend. It was subsequently crushed and mistakenly used on the pretzels instead of salt.

Substitute kitchen worker Chloe Larson reportedly discovered the problem after students complained of burning sensations in their mouths and throats. She said she tasted the seasoning herself, experienced a burning sensation and pressed the kitchen lead to identify the substance in a discarded packet.

The complaint alleges that the kitchen lead initially described the substance to administrators as soap. Larson identified it as oven cleaner.

Lawsuit Challenges School's Response to Chemical Exposure

The complaint also challenges how staff responded after discovering the contamination.

It alleges that Poison Control was not contacted until 11:03 a.m., approximately 27 minutes after staff realised what had happened. The lawsuit also alleges that the first email to families was sent nearly two hours after students ate the pretzels.

L.L. was allegedly kept in a room for about an hour while staff monitored him, without informing his parents or allowing him to call home. The lawsuit claims he was subsequently returned to class after staff considered him asymptomatic, although his mother said he came home with a sore throat and stomach pain.

Police closed their investigation without filing criminal charges, saying they could not establish probable cause. The school district previously said it had introduced corrective measures, including staff retraining, improved chemical storage and kitchen safety audits.

The district has declined to comment on the pending lawsuit but confirmed that the kitchen lead remains employed.

Viral Backlash Piles Pressure on School's Food Safety

The story has prompted disbelief online, with users questioning how a product intended for cleaning commercial ovens could be mistaken for a food seasoning.

A post highlighting the lawsuit and the student's reported burning throat had attracted more than 139,000 views as of 27 October.

Other users questioned how the chemical could have been mistaken for salt, with some pointing to warning symbols visible on the product's packaging. One post argued that the products looked radically different and questioned whether sufficient care had been taken when preparing food for children.

Another reaction echoed the central question driving much of the online discussion: how could anyone mistake a chemical for salt?

Others expressed concern for the affected children, emphasising the importance of proper food handling and safety checks to prevent similar incidents.

The lawsuit remains pending. As of 23 October, an attorney had appeared for the defendants but had not yet filed a substantive response, and no trial date has been confirmed.