Latest news with #GirlScoutCookie
Time Out
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Candy lovers: Say hello to Frosty Fusions at Wendy's
Wendy's is mixing things up with their Frosty menu yet again. You might remember their Thin Mints Frosty back during Girl Scout Cookie season, and last month the chain announced Frosty Swirls featuring three tasty new sauces. Now, Wendy's has revealed its new Frosty Fusions menu, taking Frosty Swirls to another level. With a Frosty Swirl, you can take your fave Frosty—vanilla or chocolate—and swirl in strawberry, caramel or brownie batter sauce. But why not go a step further and add a mix-in for an even sweeter treat? Here's how it works: Each Frosty Fusion features both a sauce and a crunchy mix-in to your chocolate or vanilla Frosty base. And these combos will surely impress. First up is the Pop-Tarts Strawberry Fusion that mixes strawberry sauce and bits of strawberry flavored Pop-Tarts Crunch Poppers. The Oreo Brownie Fusion combines brownie batter sauce with Oreo pieces (go with the chocolate Frosty for a real chocolate overload). And finally, the Caramel Crunch Fusion mixes caramel sauce and toffee bits for a sweet, buttery crunch. You know Wendy's is serious about these Frostys because they've upgraded their equipment for better mixing, ensuring a perfect swirl every time. There's even a sleek, new custom blue Frosty spoon specially-designed to scoop up every last bite. And yes, the new domed cups are ideal for dipping those Hot & Crispy Fries.
The Guardian
05-04-2025
- Health
- 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'.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
1.2 million Girl Scout Cookie packs arrive in state
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (WTNH) — It is officially Girl Scout Cookie season and volunteers are excited to help members of the community get their sweet treats. About 1.2 million packages of Girl Scout Cookies arrived in New Britain Saturday morning. Watch our coverage to find out more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Girl Scouts Is Being Sued After Tests Find Cookies Allegedly Contain Heavy Metals and Pesticides
The annual excitement over Girl Scout Cookie season took an unexpected turn this year when a viral report alleged that the beloved treats contain heavy metals and pesticides. The claim was initially met with skepticism, but has now escalated into legal action, leaving consumers questioning the safety of the iconic cookies. The controversy began when two consumer groups, Moms Across America and GMO Science, conducted a study analyzing 25 cookie samples from California, Iowa, and Louisiana. The report, which was published in December, claimed that 100% of the tested samples contained detectable levels of heavy metals, including aluminum, arsenic, lead, and mercury, as well as pesticides including glyphosate. In response, the Girl Scouts of the USA quickly issued a statement on Feb. 6, posting an online response titled "An Important Update for Our Members and Supporters." The statement reassured customers that the cookies are fully safe for consumption. 'A recent report claimed that our Girl Scout Cookies contain certain levels of glyphosate and heavy metals. We want to address these allegations and share the facts,' the organization stated on its website. The Girl Scouts explained that environmental contaminants, including heavy metals, occur naturally in soil, meaning that trace amounts can be found in many plant-based foods. It also noted that glyphosate is commonly present in agricultural environments. Additionally, small amounts of heavy metals can enter processed foods through exposure to air, water, or soil. In summary, this isn't a Girl Scout Cookie-specific issue—it's simply a reality of the global food supply chain. But the issue wasn't been put to rest. Instead, the controversy has now moved into the legal arena. On March 10, a New York woman filed a class-action lawsuit in federal court, citing the Moms Across America and GMO Science study. According to USA Today, the lawsuit alleges that Girl Scout Cookies contain dangerous levels of heavy metals and pesticides, and accuses the Girl Scouts of making false claims about the quality and safety of its products to the public. The plaintiff, Amy Mayo, is seeking $5 million in damages on behalf of consumers nationwide who purchased the cookies. The lawsuit also calls for the Girl Scouts and its bakeries—Ferrero and ABC Baker—to state the presence of these substances on cookie packaging, arguing that Mayo and other consumers would not have bought the cookies had known this information. Now, it's important to note that the commissioned study has not been peer-reviewed or published in a scientific journal, and it relied on a relatively small sample size. Additionally, it references safety limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which differ from the food safety standards set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, the lawsuit will likely spark more in-depth research into the cookies across all states. As the case develops, consumers and legal experts alike will be watching closely to see whether these claims hold up in court—or if the Girl Scouts' cookies can maintain their trusted reputation. Read the original article on ALLRECIPES
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lawsuit claims Girl Scout cookies contain ‘heavy metals,' pesticides
SALT LAKE CITY (KTVX) — A federal lawsuit filed Monday in New York claims Girl Scout cookies 'are contaminated with dangerous heavy metals' and pesticides, an allegation the organization has previously disputed. The class action lawsuit references tests that allegedly prove Girl Scout cookies contain aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury, as well as pesticides such as glyphosate. The suit claims cookies from several states were tested and all had similar results. 'Extensive testing, which took place in the latter half of 2024, found that 100% of the Products contained at least four out of five Heavy Metals,' the lawsuit reads. Girl Scouts discontinuing 2 cookie varieties after 2025 season The New Jersey Laboratories Certified and the Health Research Institute conducted tests on the cookies, reportedly finding the results 'extremely problematic.' The suit uses the example of Thin Mints, saying tests showed they had more than 300 times more glyphosate than accepted by health scientists. More than 95% of the Girl Scout products also tested positive for lead. '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 and failed as well to address the concerns raised in the laboratory testing that took place,' the lawsuit reads. Nexstar's KTVX reached out to the Girls Scouts of the United States of America and did not hear back at the time of publication. However, the lawsuit includes several previous public comments the organization has made online, including a recent post addressing the cookie controversy. 'The health and safety of Girl Scouts and cookie customers is our top priority. Rest assured: Girl Scout Cookies are safe to consume,' the organization posted on its blog on Feb. 6. Girl Scouts USA has addressed the allegations that its cookies contain harmful materials saying, 'Girl Scout Cookies are made with ingredients that adhere to food safety standards set by the FDA and other relevant authorities.' These Girl Scout cookies are sold under different names: Here's why It continued to say that contaminants, such as heavy metals, can be found naturally in soil, meaning nearly all foods with plant-based or organic ingredients 'may contain trace amounts.' It made a similar comment on glyphosate, saying it's widely used in agriculture and small amounts can be found in produce, cereals, and baked goods. 'While such occurrences are not unique to Girl Scout Cookies, 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,' the organization said. 'Our bakers have confirmed that the levels reported do not pose a food safety concern to our customers.' The lawsuit is included below: 1 2Download The plaintiff is demanding a trial by jury, seeking multiple forms of relief, including monetary restitution of at least $5 million and a declaration that the organization's conduct violated consumer protection statutes. They are also asking the court to bar the organization's 'unlawful and deceptive acts' and disgorge the profits earned from the products. MJ Jewkes contributed to this story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
