Amazon faces a proposed class action lawsuit alleging it sold an organic protein powder containing dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals. The suit claims the retail giant marketed Orgain Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder as a healthy product while failing to disclose the alleged presence of lead, arsenic, and cadmium.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, asserts that Amazon violated Washington state consumer protection laws. It alleges the company promoted the product with phrases such as 'Cleaner Ingredients,' 'Quality Ingredients,' and 'USDA Organic,' despite knowing or having reason to know of the alleged contaminants.
Florida resident Dawn Cada is the plaintiff, stating she purchased approximately 36 containers of the protein powder from Amazon between 2022 and 2026 for herself and her family. She alleges she paid about $30 per container, believing the product to be a safe and healthy nutritional supplement.
The lawsuit draws on findings from a 2025 Consumer Reports investigation, which indicated that Orgain's Vanilla Bean protein powder exceeded the publication's 'level of concern' for lead. Independent laboratory testing commissioned by the plaintiffs' attorneys also reportedly detected lead, arsenic, and cadmium in product samples.
Heavy metals can naturally occur in soil and enter plant-based foods. While trace amounts are difficult to avoid, health experts warn that prolonged exposure can increase health risks. According to the World Health Organization and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, there is no universally accepted safe level of lead exposure, especially for children. Long-term exposure to heavy metals has been linked to neurological damage, kidney and liver disease, reproductive disorders, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers.
This legal action closely follows a similar proposed class action filed against Costco by the same Seattle-based law firm, Hagens Berman, weeks prior. That lawsuit also alleges that Costco failed to warn consumers about concerning levels of lead, arsenic, and cadmium in Orgain Organic Protein Powder. Seven consumers from six states are plaintiffs in the Costco case.
Neither lawsuit alleges that consumers became ill. Instead, both claims center on customers paying a premium price for a product they believed was free from harmful contaminants. Attorney Steve Berman, managing partner of Hagens Berman, stated that consumers trust brands like Costco and Orgain, and that these companies allegedly failed to uphold promises of safety and quality.
Dietary supplements, including protein powders, exist in a unique regulatory space in the U.S. The FDA does not routinely test or approve these products before they are sold. Manufacturers are responsible for ensuring their products are safe and accurately labeled, with the FDA typically intervening after products are already on the market.
Neither Amazon nor Costco has issued a recall for the protein powders, and Orgain continues to sell them through its own website and other major retailers. The proposed lawsuits seek damages for consumers and court orders for enhanced disclosures regarding heavy metal content. The allegations in both lawsuits have not yet been proven in court.