It's going to be tough for Ben & Jerry's to scoop themselves up after this one.
The popular ice cream company is under fire and facing a boycott after a controversial ingredient has been found in its ice cream.
The New York Times reported Tuesday that the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) found glyphosate, the main ingredient in weedkillers like Roundup, in 10 out of 11 flavors of Ben & Jerry's tested.
While the levels of glyphosate were below legal limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency, OCA argues that any presence of the pesticide product is misleading and potentially dangerous. OCA posted this statement on their website:
"Enough is enough. Vermont and national public interest organizations have lost our patience. It’s time for Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s to move beyond greenwashing to decisive action. It’s time for Ben & Jerry’s to announce it will immediately begin transitioning to 100-percent organic. Otherwise conscious consumers have no choice but to launch a national and, if necessary, international protest campaign and boycott."
While the World Health Organization said in 2015 that the weed killer was "probably carcinogenic," Reuters reported in June that scientific data may not fully back that claim.
Despite debate, many customers simply do not want to have a herbicide ingredient in their food. Soon after the Times published its article, the brand began receiving complaints and boycott threats on social media.
The ice cream company has yet to make an official response to the matter.