The FDA Just Announced More Ground Cinnamon Products with Lead Contamination

It's time to check your pantry shelves again.

In March of this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) issued a nationwide recall on several brands of ground cinnamon due to lead contamination. Now, the FDA has added more brands in which it has detected elevated lead levels. The list includes brands sold at chains like Dollar Tree, Save A Lot, and Patel Brothers. 

The FDA began testing for elevated lead levels in ground cinnamon following more than 460 cases of reported lead poisoning in children after they had eaten apple sauce. They quickly discovered it was the cinnamon in the apple purée that caused the lead and chromium poisoning. At the time, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended that consumers who had eaten the products contact their healthcare provider immediately. However, the packets have long since been recalled.

Regarding these additional cinnamon products, the FDA has confirmed that the lead levels in them “are significantly lower than lead levels in cinnamon in the recalled apple sauce pouches removed from the market this past fall."

Which Cinnamon Brands Contain Lead?

Here is the FDA's latest list of products with elevated lead levels that are deemed unsafe. It's important to note that the FDA is only recommending these companies voluntarily recall their products, so we suggest taking note of which products are listed.

What to Do If You Bought Contaminated Cinnamon

First step: Throw it away!

If you’re in the market for some new cinnamon, keep the above list handy to make sure you don’t buy a contaminated product. That said, things are still evolving. The FDA says that it’s continuing to review samples of cinnamon for elevated lead content. 

“It’s reassuring that the FDA is following through on this investigation and being diligent,” said Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports. “Yet it’s alarming that lead is being found in these additional products because it demonstrates that the problem is more pervasive than we might want to believe.” 

How Does Lead End Up in Food?

According to an article in Health, lead is a naturally occurring metal that is "largely unavoidable in our food supply." Lead can essentially show up at any stage of our food system, whether it's in the waterways and absorbed into tree bark or found in the equipment we use to process crops.

Another way lead ends up in our foods is through adulteration, which is when producers intentionally mix another substance—in this case, lead—into its products, thus lowering its quality. Since cinnamon is priced by weight, lead is added to increase its weight and cost.

How to Find a Safe Cinnamon Brand

Experts say that whole cinnamon may be a safer option. Lead can't be added to the sticks and they are also less likely to be exposed to grinding equipment that could contain lead. 

Furthermore, Consumer Reports did its own tests to find out which brands had the most and least lead contamination. Not surprisingly, the cinnamons that came out as safest were all from well-known, reputable brands. The products they recommend are distributed by 365 Whole Foods Market (regular and organic), Sadaf, Morton & Bassett San Francisco’s Organic Cinnamon, and Loisa Organic Cinnamon.

Though the FDA notes that it is actively continuing to test available brands for contamination, sticking to a noted brand or grinding your own spices are likely to be your best bets.