Article:16 cinnamon brands to avoid after high levels of lead found in spice blends

[Sly Saint]

This is for the USA but might possibly apply elsewhere

Multiple cinnamon brands are sparking health concerns due to potential lead contamination.

In March 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a public health alert for six brands of cinnamon, warning that they were contaminated with high levels of lead and may be unsafe. Since then, several other cinnamon brands have been listed on the public health alert.

Within the last week, the FDA has added two separate updates to its alert, revealing that four other brands of cinnamon contain elevated levels of lead.

“Exposure to these products may be unsafe,” the FDA wrote of the four newly identified cinnamon brands added to its alert.

HAETAE ground cinnamon and Roshni ground cinnamon were added to the alert on October 10. However, a recall was not officially issued for either brand, though the FDA did urge consumers to discard those products.

The HAETAE product has the UPC code: 6251136 034139 and Best by date: February 9, 2025, while the Roshni product has the UPC code: 6251136 034139 and Best by date: February 9, 2025.

Days earlier, the FDA added Durra ground cinnamon and Wise Wife to the health alert, with both distributors issuing a recall for those products.

However, these are only the latest updates to the public health alert. Here are the 12 other cinnamon products to look out for, which have been added to the FDA’s list since March 2024:

• Jiva Organics’s Cinnamon Powder: An official recall of the product was not shared by the FDA.
• Super Brand’s Cinnamon Powder: The brand’s distributor, IHA Beverage, Commerce, issued a voluntary recall in November 2024.
• Asli’s Cinnamon Powder: The product was recalled in August 2024.
• El Chilar’s Ground Cinnamon: The product was recalled in August 2024.
• Marcum Ground Cinnamon: The FDA announced a recall of the product in July 2024.
• SWAD Cinnamon Power: This distributor of this product has not announced a recall.
• Supreme Tradition’s Ground Cinnamon: The cinnamon, which was sold at popular retailers lik Dollar Tree, was recalled in July 2024.
• Compania Indillor Orientale’s Cinnamon Ground: The product’s distributor has not issued a recall.
• ALB Flavor’s Cinnamon Powder: ALB-USA Enterprises announced a recall of this product in July 2024.
• Shahzada’s Cinnamon Powder: This product was recalled in July 2024.
• Spice Class’s Ground Cinnamon: The recall of the product was announced in July 2024.
• La Frontera’s Ground Cinnamon: A recall for the product has not been announced.

12 cinnamon brands to avoid after high lead levels found in spice blends

Not all cinnamon products are created equal, according to a new study

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Creekside]

I'm curious as to why they are contaminated. Are cinnamon trees particularly good at extracting lead from soil? Are the problem trees from regions still using leaded gas, or contaminated from prior leaded gas usage? Planted on lead mine tailings? Are these plantations in widely different locations, or are all the companies listed buying from one locale?

 

[Sasha]

Consumer Reports have just brought out a report about how plant protein powders have high levels of lead but there seems to be some pushback, like here, including criticism of Consumer Reports in general. I don't have the mental bandwidth to go through it but I'd be interested to know what other think.

 

[JemPD]

Be good to have a check on UK Brands