Some brands of one of the country’s most popular spices, cinnamon, could be hazardous to your health.
Over the past week, the Food and Drug Administration has identified four more manufacturers of ground cinnamon that it says contain high levels of lead. In total, the agency listed 16 labels with lead levels of concern. New additions include brands HAETAE, Roshni, Durra and Wise Wife.
“Based on the FDA’s assessment, prolonged exposure to these products may be harmful and contribute to elevated blood lead levels,” the government agency said in its alert.
The FDA said it has asked all companies — except HAETAE — to voluntarily recall their products.
So far, 10 of the 16 brands of ground cinnamon identified by the FDA have issued recall announcements.
If one of the ground cinnamon products listed by the FDA is on your shelf, you should immediately throw it away, according to the FDA.
Ground cinnamon brands with high lead levels
The FDA says these 16 brands contain high levels of lead ranging from 2.03 parts per million (ppm) to 7.68 and could be dangerous.
- Roshni (2,268 ppm)
- HAÉTAE (4.60 ppm)
- Durra (2.44 ppm)
- Wise Wife (2.49 ppm)
- Jiva Organics (2.29 ppm)
- Super Brand (7.68 and 6.60 ppm)
- Asli (2.32 ppm)
- El Chilar (3.75 and 7.01 ppm)
- Marcum (2.22 and 2.14 ppm)
- SWAD (2.89 ppm)
- Supreme Tradition (2.37 ppm)
- Indillor Orientale Company (2.23 ppm)
- ALB flavor (3.93 ppm)
- Shahzada (2.03 ppm)
- Spice class (2.04 ppm)
- La Frontera (2.66 ppm)
The tainted history of cinnamon
Lead has a history of making its way into the nation’s cinnamon supply, with several factors playing a role, according to Brian Ronholm, food policy director at Consumer Reports.
“Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of several tree species and can absorb lead from the soil it grows in, and the soil can be contaminated with lead from industrial byproducts,” he explained. “Lead can also enter cinnamon from processing equipment, storage containers or packaging.”
To protect against contamination, the FDA monitors and regulates lead levels in foods. In 2023, the agency launched an investigation to find the source of contaminated cinnamon in applesauce packets which caused lead poisoning in hundreds of children. The products, ultimately recalled, were sold under the WanaBana, Weis and Schnucks brands.
Last year, the FDA issued three alerts identifying ground cinnamon products containing elevated levels of lead. The agency launched a third alert in August 2024, which it keep updating.
“Overall, it is troubling that these high levels of lead continue to be found in cinnamon,” Ronholm said. “It is also reassuring that the FDA continues to review these products given all the budget and staffing uncertainties.”
The FDA announced plans in March to cut 3,500 employees, despite some layoffs have since been reversed.
Thousands of FDA-regulated products, ranging from foods to drugs to cosmetics, are recalled each year in an effort to protect the public from potential harm.
The impact of lead on health
According to the FDA, there is no safe level of contact with lead. The agency says continued exposure to high levels of lead for months or longer can cause a range of adverse health effects, especially in young children.
“High levels of lead exposure in utero, infancy, and early childhood can lead to neurological effects such as learning disabilities, behavioral difficulties, and lowered IQ,” the FDA says in its latest alert.
Lead can also cause long-term health problems in adults, according to the World Health Organization, including an increased risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems and kidney damage.
