Girl Scout cookies contain heavy metals beyond safe limits, lawsuit alleges
Girl Scout cookies contain lead, arsenic, cadmium, aluminum and mercury at levels that often exceed regulators' recommended limits, as well as concerning amounts of a toxic herbicide, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
The suit bases its allegations on a December 2024 study commissioned by the GMO Science and Moms Across America nonprofits that tested 25 cookies gathered from across several states, and found all contained at least four out of five of the heavy metals.
Lead was found in all but one cookie, and all samples contained glyphosate, a highly toxic and controversial weed killer that is banned in many countries because it's so dangerous.
Girl Scouts took aim at the study in a blog post. 'The health and safety of Girl Scouts and cookie customers is our top priority,' it stated. 'Rest assured: Girl Scout Cookies are safe to consume.'
It added: 'Our trusted baking partners continue to ensure the integrity of our recipes and the safety of all Girl Scout Cookie products in accordance with federal regulations and Global Food Safety initiative standards.'
However, the lawsuit states: 'While the entire sales practice system for Girl Scout Cookies is built on a foundation of ethics and teaching young girls sustainable business practices, defendants failed to uphold this standard themselves.'
The lawsuit seeks $5m in damages and asks a New York state court to order Girl Scouts of America to affix a warning to the cookies.
The heavy metals are especially dangerous for young children, and can cause brain damage and developmental issues. Glyphosate exposure in children is linked to liver inflammation and hormone disruption, among other issues.
About 200m boxes of the cookies are sold annually.
Thin mints showed the highest levels of glyphosate, and the Peanut Butter Patties, S'mores, Caramel deLites and gluten-free Toffee-tastic had the highest levels of toxic metals. Though the report compared its findings to the federal limits on metals in water, the US Food and Drug Administration typically limits the amount of lead in food to two parts per billion (ppb) to 10 ppb. All but three cookies exceed 2 ppb.
The non-profit Girl Scouts said heavy metals occur naturally in soil, suggesting that its cookies contained 'trace amounts', which is common in food and not a safety issue. However, the levels found in most of the cookies are higher than what's considered trace amounts.
It also stated that glyphosate is found 'nearly everywhere' in the food chain. Glyphosate is often in produce and processed foods, and the levels found in the cookies – with the exception of the Thin Mints – are lower than the EPA's recommended intake for an adult. But it is unclear what the impact on children might be.
Organic produce and processed foods broadly contain no or much lower levels of glyphosate and other pesticides.
The high levels of metal contamination are also not unique to Girl Scout cookies – cinnamon in Gerber baby food was found to contain lead and sued for violating California's Proposition 65 limits in 2021.
Vineet Dubey, an attorney who sued Gerber but is not involved in the Girl Scout lawsuit, said the toxins likely stem from Gerber and Girl Scouts 'buying inexpensive ingredients and from places that are known to have problems with polluted soil, air and water'.
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The Guardian
05-04-2025
- The Guardian
Girl Scout cookies contain heavy metals beyond safe limits, lawsuit alleges
Girl Scout cookies contain lead, arsenic, cadmium, aluminum and mercury at levels that often exceed regulators' recommended limits, as well as concerning amounts of a toxic herbicide, a new class action lawsuit alleges. The suit bases its allegations on a December 2024 study commissioned by the GMO Science and Moms Across America nonprofits that tested 25 cookies gathered from across several states, and found all contained at least four out of five of the heavy metals. Lead was found in all but one cookie, and all samples contained glyphosate, a highly toxic and controversial weed killer that is banned in many countries because it's so dangerous. Girl Scouts took aim at the study in a blog post. 'The health and safety of Girl Scouts and cookie customers is our top priority,' it stated. 'Rest assured: Girl Scout Cookies are safe to consume.' It added: 'Our trusted baking partners continue to ensure the integrity of our recipes and the safety of all Girl Scout Cookie products in accordance with federal regulations and Global Food Safety initiative standards.' However, the lawsuit states: 'While the entire sales practice system for Girl Scout Cookies is built on a foundation of ethics and teaching young girls sustainable business practices, defendants failed to uphold this standard themselves.' The lawsuit seeks $5m in damages and asks a New York state court to order Girl Scouts of America to affix a warning to the cookies. The heavy metals are especially dangerous for young children, and can cause brain damage and developmental issues. Glyphosate exposure in children is linked to liver inflammation and hormone disruption, among other issues. About 200m boxes of the cookies are sold annually. Thin mints showed the highest levels of glyphosate, and the Peanut Butter Patties, S'mores, Caramel deLites and gluten-free Toffee-tastic had the highest levels of toxic metals. Though the report compared its findings to the federal limits on metals in water, the US Food and Drug Administration typically limits the amount of lead in food to two parts per billion (ppb) to 10 ppb. All but three cookies exceed 2 ppb. The non-profit Girl Scouts said heavy metals occur naturally in soil, suggesting that its cookies contained 'trace amounts', which is common in food and not a safety issue. However, the levels found in most of the cookies are higher than what's considered trace amounts. It also stated that glyphosate is found 'nearly everywhere' in the food chain. Glyphosate is often in produce and processed foods, and the levels found in the cookies – with the exception of the Thin Mints – are lower than the EPA's recommended intake for an adult. But it is unclear what the impact on children might be. Organic produce and processed foods broadly contain no or much lower levels of glyphosate and other pesticides. The high levels of metal contamination are also not unique to Girl Scout cookies – cinnamon in Gerber baby food was found to contain lead and sued for violating California's Proposition 65 limits in 2021. Vineet Dubey, an attorney who sued Gerber but is not involved in the Girl Scout lawsuit, said the toxins likely stem from Gerber and Girl Scouts 'buying inexpensive ingredients and from places that are known to have problems with polluted soil, air and water'.
The Independent
12-03-2025
- The Independent
Girl Scouts hit with lawsuit over alleged heavy metals and toxins in its cookies
Girl Scouts cookies are filled with 'aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury,' as well as pesticides, a New York woman claims in a lawsuit. The plaintiff, Amy Mayo, said Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. and its cookie manufacturers, Ferrero U.S.A. and Interbake Foods (also known as ABC Bakers), violated consumer protection laws by making false claims about the safety and quality of its products. She filed a class-action lawsuit against the popular cookies over their alleged ingredients. Girls Scouts of the U.S.A. has previously pushed back on the allegations, saying in a February blog post that their cookies were 'made with ingredients that adhere to food safety standards set by the FDA and other relevant authorities.' The allegation that the cookies contain potentially harmful levels of heavy metals and pesticides relies heavily on a December 2024 study commissioned by the group Moms Across America and GMO Science. The study was not published in a scientific journal, nor was it peer-reviewed. It relied on a small sample of 25 cookies across three states to make its allegations and compared levels in the cookies to safety limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency rather than the Food and Drug Administration. Right-wing podcast host Joe Rogan elevated the study by featuring it on his popular show The Joe Rogan Experience in February. That led 'special government employee' and the world's richest man Elon Musk to also comment about it on X. The class action lawsuit seeks $5 million in damages and an injunction for the cookie sellers to disclose the heavy metal and pesticide content on their packaging. However, days after filing the lawsuit, Mayo filed a motion to dismiss the case . A judge has yet to rule on that motion. Girl Scouts have said that the 'heavy metals' found in the cookies can occur naturally in the environment and soil, meaning many foods may contain trace amounts, but that they are not necessarily harmful to consume. 'Our bakers have confirmed that the levels reported do not pose a food safety concern to our customers,' Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. wrote in the blog post. Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. declined to comment on ongoing litigation. The Girl Scout Cookie program has been ongoing since 1917. Its purpose is to teach young girls about leadership skills that are critical for success, including setting goals, creating a plan, budgeting and making decisions. The cookies are sold by registered Girl Scouts from January to April, with proceeds supporting local troops.
Reuters
11-03-2025
- Reuters
Girl Scouts sued over alleged heavy metals, pesticides in cookies
NEW YORK, March 11 (Reuters) - The Girl Scouts have been sued by consumers over the alleged presence of "heavy metals" and pesticides in its popular Thin Mints and other cookies. A proposed class action was filed on Monday night in the Brooklyn, New York federal court against the 113-year-old nonprofit and the cookies' licensed producers, ABC Bakers and Ferrero USA's Little Brownie Bakers. It cited a December 2024 study, opens new tab commissioned by GMO Science and Moms Across America, which tested samples of 25 cookies from three U.S. states. The study said Girl Scout cookies contained at least four of five heavy metals - aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury - that can harm people's health or the environment, often at levels exceeding regulators' recommended limits. It also said all samples contained glyphosate, opens new tab, a pesticide used in some weed killers, with Thin Mints containing the highest levels. "While the entire sales practice system for Girl Scout Cookies is built on a foundation of ethics and teaching young girls sustainable business practices, defendants failed to uphold this standard themselves," the lawsuit said. The defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Girl Scouts, short for Girl Scouts of the United States of America, addressed the study in a February 6 blog post, opens new tab. It said heavy metals occur naturally in soil, with trace amounts not a safety issue, while glyphosate is found "nearly everywhere" in the food chain. Girl Scouts also said its bakers are committed to complying with all food safety standards. "The health and safety of Girl Scouts and cookie customers is our top priority," the New York-based nonprofit said. "Rest assured: Girl Scout Cookies are safe to consume." Cookies are sold by registered Girl Scouts from January to April, with net proceeds supporting, opens new tab councils and local troops. The lawsuit is led by Amy Mayo, a resident of Bayside, New York. Mayo said she bought numerous Girl Scout products such as Adventurefuls, Peanut Butter Patties and Caramel deLites, believing they were "quality and safe cookies." She said she would not have bought the cookies or "would have paid substantially less" had Girl Scouts disclosed the presence of "dangerous toxins." The lawsuit seeks at least $5 million in damages for U.S. cookie purchasers, for alleged violations of New York consumer protection laws. Several chocolate makers including Hershey (HSY.N), opens new tab faced lawsuits after Consumer Reports in December 2022 found elevated levels of cadmium, lead or both in their products. The case is Mayo v Girl Scouts of the United States of America et al, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, No. 25-01367.
