FDA finds lead contamination in certain ground cinnamon products, asks manufacturers to voluntarily recall items

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found elevated levels of lead in six brands of ground cinnamon spice, months after the agency recalled lead-contaminated applesauce pouches last fall.

The FDA on Wednesday said the six brands of ground cinnamon contained lead at levels potentially unsafe for people, especially people, if they have prolonged exposure. 

The products are sold under the names Marcum, MK, La Fiesta, Swad, Supreme Tradition and El Chilar and are sold at retailers including Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, Patel Brothers and Save A Lot, the FDA said.

The agency advised consumers to throw away and not buy these products, and manufacturers were also asked to voluntarily recall the items.

“Removing the ground cinnamon products in this alert from the market will prevent them from contributing elevated amounts of lead to the diets of children,” the FDA said. 

Dollar Tree and Family Dollar stores have removed the cinnamon from their store shelves and customers can return the products for a refund, a spokesperson for Dollar Tree and Family Dollar told The Associated Press.

No illnesses or adverse events have been reported regarding the products, the FDA noted. 

The recall comes months after the FDA announced WanaBana USA had voluntarily recalled three applesauce brands due to reports of elevated levels of lead. This was discovered after routine blood screenings of children showed a spike in blood lead levels. 

The contamination was linked to applesauce pouches produced in Ecuador and sold in U.S. supermarkets, on Amazon and in stores like the Dollar Tree. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in February reported 468 cases across 44 states. 

Lead is a neurotoxin, and there’s scientific consensus that there’s no safe level of lead in humans, especially in young children. The FDA monitors foods for lead levels, though the U.S. government does not limit these levels in products, the AP noted. 

The recall last fall prompted FDA officials to launch a “targeted survey” of cinnamon products sold in discount stores, the AP added.