Food safety experts at Consumer Reports have identified that 12 brands of ground cinnamon currently available on the market contain dangerously high levels of lead.
Consuming even small amounts of ground cinnamon from any of these brands can pose a serious risk of lead exposure, which may result in uncomfortable and potentially harmful health effects, such as lead toxicity.
Consumer Reports published the names of the 12 cinnamon products with increased lead content: Badia cinnamon powder, BaiLiFeng five spice powder, Bowl & Basket ground cinnamon, Deep cinnamon powder, EGN cinnamon powder, Mimi’s Products ground cinnamon, Paras cinnamon powder, Rani Brand ground cinnamon, Spicy King five spice powder, Three Rivers cinnamon stick powder, Yu Yee Brand five spice powder, and Zara Foods cinnamon powder.
Food safety specialists are advising consumers to immediately discontinue use of these products and discard any that may be in their homes—similar to how lead-tainted Lunchables were recently dealt with.
Fortunately, the same Consumer Reports tests also revealed that certain ground cinnamon brands, including 365 by Whole Foods Market, have been found to contain very low, safe levels of lead.
This means that for those who love baking, there are still safe options available for making homemade cinnamon rolls without the worry of lead contamination.
In November 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a recall for three brands of cinnamon applesauce pouches after discovering high levels of lead and chromium in the puree.
This recall was especially alarming because the product was primarily consumed by children, who are particularly vulnerable to lead toxicity. A few months later, the FDA issued a broader recall of cinnamon products, again due to high lead levels.
Given these ongoing concerns, Consumer Reports took action by testing 36 different ground cinnamon products currently sold in stores. Their findings revealed that one-third of these products contained more than one part per million of lead.
Although that may not sound significant, food safety researcher James Rogers noted that “even a quarter teaspoon of any of those products has more lead than you should consume in an entire day.”
While children and pregnant individuals are the most susceptible to the dangers of lead poisoning, adults can also suffer from lead-related health problems such as high blood pressure, headaches, stomach cramps, and fatigue.
The good news is that these test results help inform consumers about which brands are safe to buy and which should be avoided. Next time you’re shopping for cinnamon, it’s important to choose wisely.
If you’re still uncertain about using cinnamon, consider trying alternative spices that can increase your cooking and impress your guests.
