A lawsuit has been filed against Girl Scouts of the USA by a New York woman, Amy Mayo, alleging that the cookies contain dangerous levels of heavy metals and pesticides. Mayo’s class action complaint seeks $5 million in damages from the organization and its manufacturers, Ferrero and ABC Bakers. According to the lawsuit, extensive testing conducted in 2024 found that 100% of sampled cookies contained at least four out of five heavy metals, including aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury, as well as pesticides like glyphosate. The tested cookies were sourced from California, Iowa, and Louisiana to ensure valid results. However, Girl Scouts of the USA has stated that their cookies are safe to consume and comply with all food safety regulations. The organization noted that heavy metals can naturally occur in soil and trace amounts of glyphosate are common in produce, emphasizing that these substances are not added to their cookies. The study, carried out by consumer groups GMOScience and Moms Across America, tested 25 cookies across 11 types. Controversial findings from the study spread on TikTok earlier this year, though claims of an FDA recall were unfounded. A Forbes article highlighted that the study compared findings to EPA water safety standards, which do not apply to food, rather than FDA food safety standards. — news from PEOPLE
