Girl Scout Cookies Subject of Lawsuit Claiming Heavy Metals, Pesticides Present in 100% of Tested Samples

Girl Scouts of the USA is facing a new lawsuit filed in federal court alleging that its iconic Girl Scout Cookies contain a variety of heavy metals, and the pesticide glyphosate, in unsafe quantities.

According to PEOPLE, the plaintiff — Amy Mayo of New York — filed a class-action lawsuit on March 10, seeking $5 million from Girl Scouts and manufacturers Ferrero and ABC Bakers. The suit claims that the Girl Scouts “produce and distribute Products which are contaminated with dangerous heavy metals, including aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury…and pesticides, including glyphosate.”

The suit goes on to claim that “extensive testing” conducted last year indicated that “100% of the Products contained at least four out of five Heavy Metals” in addition to “extremely problematic” results.

The extensive testing cited by Mayo’s lawsuit pertains to a study commissioned by Moms Across America and GMOScience. Said study suggested that 100% of the cookies tested contained aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury — and that 13 of the cookies tested contained glyphosate, a herbicide generally used to kill weeds.

“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, according to USA Today. In addition to the $5 million in damages for buyers of the cookies, the suit also seeks an injunction requiring Girl Scouts of the USA to update packaging information to disclose the presence of the alleged substances.

Girl Scouts Sued Over Alleged Heavy Metals And Pesticides In Popular Cookieshttps://t.co/1brYRyaokm pic.twitter.com/pMIEVNu5v8

— Forbes (@Forbes) March 11, 2025

Study Results Went Viral on TikTok in 2025, Falsely Claiming an FDA Recall as a Result

Per Forbes, this isn’t the first time that the aforementioned study made headlines this year. In February, the outlet noted that the Moms Across America and GMOScience study had gone viral via TikTok, with many social media users claiming that there had been an FDA recall issued for the Girl Scout Cookies as a result.

That turned out to be false, with users perhaps confusing the very real recall of Las Ollas Botana Mix Snacks over undeclared allergens, specifically wheat.

Further, the Forbes piece pointed out that the study was not peer reviewed, nor had it been published in a scientific journal — it also relied on a relatively small sample size of 25 cookies from just three states.

“The results found trace amounts of glyphosate and heavy metals, but the study didn’t compare these findings to FDA food safety standards. Instead, it used EPA water safety limits, which aren’t applicable to food and can make results sound more alarming than they are,” Forbes contributor Stephanie Gravalese wrote at the time.

“Many food safety experts caution that trace levels of glyphosate in food are common and generally considered safe under current regulations. The FDA and USDA both allow residues of pesticides and metals in foods at levels deemed non-harmful, and regulatory agencies regularly test food products for compliance,” she continued.

Girl Scouts Defends Its Cookies, Saying They Are ‘Safe To Consume’

While Girl Scouts of the USA did not immediately respond with a comment regarding the lawsuit, it previously defended its cookies in a Feb. 6 press release, following the earlier viral discussion regarding the study results.

“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 stated.

The blog post went on to underscore the fact that trace amounts of glyphosate could be found on fruits, vegetables, cereals, baked goods, and other commodities, and that Girl Scouts of the USA was adhering to all food safety standards put forth by federal regulatory agencies.