Should We Just Rethink This Whole Milk Thing?

A federal judge Friday ordered H.P. Hood Inc. to pull a television ad that implies rival Garelick Farms’ milk smells and tastes fishy because the dairy uses shark and halibut oil as a vitamin supplement.

The court hearing was the latest battle between the Boston area’s two top milk sellers in a war of negative advertising over whose product is more healthy and natural.

U.S. District Judge Joseph Tauro issued a temporary restraining order at Garelick’s request and said he would issue a final ruling next week.

Hood has 10 days to appeal. Spokeswoman Kim Thuller said the company had not decided whether to challenge the order.

No. 1 Garelick, based in Franklin, took No. 2 Hood, of Chelsea, to court over an ad that shows a stream of oil pouring from an eye dropper into a glass of milk and a boy puckering into a fish-face as a dolphin cackles in the background.

The animosities started several months ago when Garelick ran ads claiming that Hood used chemical additives like disodium phosphate and synthetic vitamins in its milk.