Girl Scouts hit with lawsuit over alleged heavy metals, toxins in its cookies

A New York woman has filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against the Girl Scouts of America following claims that the organization’s cookies contain heavy metals, pesticides and other toxins.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court by Amy Mayo on Monday, claims that the Girl Scouts of America, along with cookie manufacturers Ferrero U.S.A. and Interbake Foods (operating under the name ABC Bakers), are selling cookie containing heavy metals and toxins.

The lawsuit points to a study commissioned by groups Moms Across America and GMO Science that said that 100% of the cookies tested contained aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury, and that 13 cookies were positive for high levels of glyphosate, an herbicide typically used to kill weeds.

The study wasn’t published in a scientific journal, was not peer-reviewed and used a small sample size, which Forbes pointed out “doesn’t necessarily reflect contamination levels nationwide.” It also compared heavy metals and glyphosate levels not to U.S. Food and Drug Administration food safety standards, but rather to water safety limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency, which aren’t applicable to food.

Yet the study’s results were touted by popular podcaster Joe Rogan, amplifying the claims to a large audience, and later going viral on TikTok and social media platforms beyond.

Lawsuit seeks millions in damages

The lawsuit echoes the findings of the study, alleging that Girl Scout Cookies contain dangerous levels of heavy metals and pesticides. It accuses the Girl Scouts of making false claims about the safety and quality of Girl Scout Cookies in marketing materials and packaging. The lawsuit says that Mayo and other potential plaintiffs would not have purchased the cookies had they known this information.

As a result, claims the lawsuit, the defendants violated consumer protection laws and benefited from unjust enrichment from the sale of the “contaminated” cookies.

The suit seeks $5 million in damages for U.S. buyers of the cookies, as well as an injunction requiring the cookie sellers to update packaging to disclose the presence of the substances.

“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 claimed.

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Girl Scouts responds

The Girl Scouts did not immediately respond to request for comment Tuesday but have previously addressed the claims about their cookies.

“The health and safety of Girl Scouts and cookie customers is our top priority,” the Girl Scouts said in a blog post responding to the allegations on Feb. 6. “Rest assured: Girl Scout Cookies are safe to consume.”

The cookies adhere to food safety standards set by the FDA, EPA and other agencies, the organization said, and trace amounts of the substances in question naturally occur in many foods due to environmental contaminants and do not pose a health risk.

The Girl Scouts also said trace amounts of glyphosate can be found in “fresh fruits, vegetables, cereals, baked goods, and other food and beverage commodities,” as it is commonly used in mass agriculture in accordance with EPA and FDA regulations.

“Small amounts of heavy metals can be found naturally in the environment, including in food products, due to air, water, and soil exposure. These metals are not added to our Girl Scout Cookies,” said the statement. “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 Girl Scouts added: “As a result, Girl Scout Cookies are safe to consume and are manufactured in accordance with all food safety regulations.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lawsuit filed against Girl Scouts over alleged heavy metals in cookies