A new food safety warning may have you sorting through your spice rack this week. That’s because certain brands of cinnamon have troubling levels of lead, according to a new warning from Consumer Reports.
In an article published Thursday, Consumer Reports warns that at least a dozen cinnamon products and other spice blends made with cinnamon have elevated levels of lead. Of the 36 products that researchers tested, 12 had more than one part per million—the maximum amount of lead permitted in New York State. And three of the spices had levels so high, they exceed the guidelines set by the American Spice Trade Association.
James Rogers, director of food safety and research at Consumer Reports, says that a quarter teaspoon of any of these products contains more lead than is safe for a person to consume in a day.
“If you have one of those products, we think you should throw it away,” he said in the report. “Even small amounts of lead pose a risk because, over time, it can accumulate in the body and remain there for years, seriously harming health.”
Worryingly, the products deemed unsafe are not hard to find. Many popular cinnamon brands are on the list.
The list of unsafe cinnamon powders includes: Paras Cinnamon Powder, EGN Cinnamon Powder, Mimi’s Ground Cinnamon, Bowl & Basket Ground Cinnamon, Rani Ground Cinnamon, Zara Ground Cinnamon, Deep Cinnamon Powder, Badia Cinnamon Powder, and Three Rivers Cinnamon Stick Powder.
The unsafe spice blends were Five Spices Powder by brands Spicy King, BaiLeeFeng, and Yu Yee Brand.
This is not the first time we’ve seen a recall related to elevated-lead levels in cinnamon products recently. In 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalled millions of apple cinnamon pouches, which are popular with young children, because of unsafe lead levels. This year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the pouches were linked to around 400 poisonings.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pregnant women and children are at the highest risk for lead-related issues. Low birth weight, premature birth, and heightened risk of miscarriage or stillbirth have all been linked to lead exposure.
The WHO says that children absorb more lead than adults. Heightened exposure is linked to issues with brain and nervous system development in children, such as hearing, speech, and learning or behavioral problems. Adults can experience reproductive issues, kidney damage, high blood pressure, immune issues, and more.
Consumer Reports marked a number of brands “Okay To Use,” and also put together a list of the best lowest-risk cinnamon products.
The six “Best To Use” products, which contain the lowest levels of lead, were: 365 Whole Foods Market Ground Cinnamon, 365 Whole Foods Market Organic Ground Cinnamon, Loisa Organic Cinnamon, Morton & Bassett San Francisco Organic Ground Cinnamon, Sadaf Cinnamon Powder, and Sadaf Seven Spice blend.
Find the full list of unsafe to use, okay, and best products here.