Girl Scouts Face Legal Battle Over Alleged Contaminants In Cookies

A class-action lawsuit filed in federal court accuses the Girl Scouts of selling cookies that contain elevated levels of heavy metals and pesticides. The lawsuit, which seeks damages and other remedies, claims that independent laboratory testing revealed widespread contamination in the organization’s cookie lineup.

According to the lawsuit, testing conducted in 2024 detected aluminum, lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium in samples from multiple states. The plaintiffs argue that some cookies also contained excessive amounts of glyphosate, a common agricultural pesticide.

The Girl Scouts have dismissed the allegations, stating that their cookies meet all FDA and food safety standards. The organization has emphasized that trace levels of naturally occurring substances can be found in many foods and do not pose a health risk.

Court documents allege that Thin Mints were found to have glyphosate levels hundreds of times higher than what some researchers consider safe. More than 95% of tested products reportedly contained lead. The plaintiffs argue that the Girl Scouts misled consumers by failing to disclose the presence of these substances.

The lawsuit demands monetary restitution and a court order preventing what it calls deceptive sales practices. It also seeks to have the organization return profits earned from allegedly tainted products.

Despite the legal action, the FDA has not issued any recall of Girl Scout Cookies. The organization’s leadership has reiterated that its baking partners maintain rigorous safety standards and that their products do not present a danger to consumers.

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