Ground cinnamon sold at discount stores is tainted with lead

Ground cinnamon sold by discount retailers in the United States contains high levels of lead and should be thrown away, federal health officials said Wednesday.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said cinnamon sold at stores such as Dollar Tree and Family Dollar contains levels of lead that may be unsafe for people, especially children, who are exposed to the spice for long periods of time. The agency called on suppliers to voluntarily recall the products.

Cinnamon products included in the agency’s safety warning include the La Fiesta brand sold by La Superior and SuperMercados; Marcum brand sold in Save A Lot stores; MK brands sold by SF Supermarket; Swad brand sold by Patel Brothers; El Chilar brand sold by La Joya Morelense; and the Supreme Tradition brand sold at Dollar Tree and Family Dollar stores.

The warning said, “Removing the ground cinnamon products included in this warning from the market will prevent them from contributing high amounts of lead to children’s diets.”

The agency said consumers should not purchase the products and should throw away the containers they have in their homes.

Dollar Tree and Family Dollar stores have removed cinnamon from store shelves, a company spokeswoman said. Customers can return items to nearby stores for a refund.

FDA officials launched what they called a “targeted survey” of cinnamon products sold at discount stores following an October 2023 recall of lead-tainted cinnamon applesauce bags that sickened nearly 500 U.S. children.

The ground cinnamon products included in Wednesday’s announcement had lead levels of 2.03 to 3.4 parts per million; this was much lower than the mash bags, which contained 2,270 parts per million to 5,110 parts per million of lead.

The FDA said no illnesses or other health effects have been reported in connection with the new ground cinnamon warning.

There is no safe level of lead exposure for humans. Long-term exposure to lead can cause problems such as learning disabilities, behavioral difficulties, and lower IQ, especially in growing children.

The FDA monitors foods for lead levels, but the U.S. government does not widely restrict lead in food products. The agency sent a letter to all cinnamon producers, processors, distributors and facility operators in the United States reminding them to prevent contamination from chemical hazards in foods, including the spice.