A New York woman has filed a $5 million lawsuit against Girl Scouts of the USA, claiming that their cookies are contaminated with heavy metals and pesticides.
Amy Mayo filed the class action complaint on March 10 against Girl Scouts and their cookie manufacturers, Ferrero and ABC Bakers. The lawsuit claims that the cookies contain dangerous levels of aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury — along with pesticides like glyphosate.
According to the lawsuit, “extensive testing” conducted in 2024 found that 100% of the tested cookies contained at least four out of five heavy metals. The cookies tested were from California, Iowa, and Louisiana, with similar results across all locations.
The Girl Scouts responded to the allegations on February 6, saying that Girl Scout Cookies are safe to eat and meet all food safety standards. They explained that heavy metals can naturally occur in soil and that trace amounts of glyphosate are common in produce. “These metals are not added to our Girl Scout Cookies,” the statement read.
The study, conducted by consumer groups GMOScience and Moms Across America, tested 25 boxes of cookies, including popular flavors like Thin Mints, Samoas (Caramel deLites), Tagalongs (Peanut Butter Patties), Trefoils, and more.
Social media buzz about the findings spread quickly, with some users claiming the FDA recalled the cookies — but a Forbes article debunked this, explaining that the study compared the findings to EPA water safety standards rather than FDA food safety standards. The article noted that the FDA and USDA allow certain pesticide and metal residues at levels considered safe for food consumption.
Despite the controversy, Girl Scouts cookies remain a billion-dollar business, with the treats marketed and sold by children across the country.