Girl Scouts of the USA said the levels of metals and herbicide in its cookies ‘do not pose a food safety concern’ to customers following claims from a study that wasn’t peer-reviewed
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The Girl Scouts are refuting a recent claim by Joe Rogan that its cookies are toxic, a statement he recently made on his popular podcast.
Rogan cited a flawed study by Moms Across America that found that all Girl Scout cookies contain toxic metals. On his podcast Monday, he called the cookies “toxic as (expletive).”
In a statement to USA TODAY on Friday, a Girl Scouts of the USA spokesperson said that “the health and safety of our customers is our top priority.
“All Girl Scout Cookies are produced by our trusted licensed bakers, who are leaders in their industry and adhere to rigorous food safety standards set by the FDA and other relevant authorities,” they said. “When you buy Girl Scout Cookies, proceeds stay local, every purchase of Girl Scout Cookies supports local troops in your community.”
Here is what to know about the study and what Girl Scouts of the USA said concerning its findings.
What did the study find?
Moms Across America conducted the study in partnership with GMOScience and released it on Dec. 30, calling the results “extremely concerning.”
“The sale of cookies containing potentially toxic ingredients raises profound ethical and public health concerns,” the group said. “It is imperative for the Girl Scouts organization to confront this issue by addressing critical questions regarding their capacity and willingness to reformulate these products to ensure consumer safety.”
The group said that 100% of the cookies tested contained at least four out of five heavy and toxic metals — including aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. They also said all of the 13 types of 25 cookies tested from three states (California, Iowa, and Louisiana) were positive for high levels of glyphosate, an herbicide typically used to kill weeds.
The study, which wasn’t published in a scientific journal, was not peer-reviewed and used a small sample size “that doesn’t necessarily reflect contamination levels nationwide,” Forbes reported.
Additionally, Forbes noted that the findings of heavy metals and glyphosate were not compared to FDA food safety standards but rather water safety limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency, “which aren’t applicable to food and can make results sound more alarming than they are.”
Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture allow pesticides and metals in residual amounts “at levels deemed non-harmful,” and the agencies test products for safety on a regular basis, Forbes reported.
What is Moms Across America suggesting Girls Scouts do?
Moms Across America is calling on the Girl Scouts to:
- Inform their suppliers that they will only be sourcing wheat and ingredients that are not sprayed with glyphosate and other harmful drying agents starting in 2026.
- Source non-GMO ingredients starting in 2026.
- Require their suppliers to conduct batch testing for pesticides, including herbicides such as glyphosate and heavy metals, in orders made in 2025.
- Remove seed oils and substitute for coconut oil, organic butter, or organic unscented tallow in 2026.
- Start a 2025 program to support Girl Scouts to be champions for regenerative organic farming practices.
Girl Scouts addresses allegations of ‘toxic’ cookies
Girl Scouts of the USA addressed the study in a blog post earlier this month, in which it said the organization’s cookies “are made with ingredients that adhere to food safety standards set by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) and other relevant authorities.”
“As a result, Girl Scout Cookies are safe to consume and are manufactured in accordance with all food safety regulations,” the organization said in the blog post.
The Girl Scouts also tried adding context to the study’s claims, including explaining how heavy metals are environmental contaminants appearing naturally in soil, therefore all foods using plant-based ingredients may contain trace amounts. This does not mean the foods are harmful to consume, the organization added.
In addition to being found in soil, small amounts of heavy metals can be spotted naturally in the environment, including in food products, due to air, water, and soil exposure, according to the Girl Scouts.
Regarding glyphosate, the organization said the herbicide is “found nearly everywhere in the food chain,” with trace amounts of it being found in fresh fruits, vegetables, cereals, baked goods, and other food and beverage commodities.
“Our bakers have confirmed that the levels reported do not pose a food safety concern to our customers,” the Girls Scouts said.
