On 13 October 2023, the NGO Toxin Free USA filed a complaint before the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in the United States against the American company CAVA, owner of a chain of restaurants specializing in Mediterranean cuisine. Toxin Free USA alleges that CAVA is guilty of false advertising and fraud for promoting their products as "healthy" and "sustainable" when in fact they contain synthetic pesticide residues and the food packaging contains polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

After carrying out a number of tests on the toxicity of CAVA, Toxin Free USA found that some of these products contain pesticide residues, particularly glyphosate. For Toxin Free USA, the presence of glyphosate in the foods sold by CAVA is not compatible with the promotion of their products as being good for health or the environment. Other pesticides detected by Toxin Free USA in CAVA products are piperonyl butoxide, imazalil, isoprothiolane, tebuconazole and tricyclazole. Toxin Free USA points out that these pesticides are known to be harmful to the environment and human health, especially glyphosate, which was recognised as a potential carcinogen by the World Health Organisation in 2015.

Toxin Free USA is therefore asking the Court to set up a jury trial, and to recognise that CAVA is violating consumer protection law by representing their products as being safer for health and the environment than competing products, even though they contain toxic pesticide residues.