US health officials are warning that several types of ground cinnamon sold at some discount and specialty stores are contaminated with high levels of lead and should be thrown away.
The Food and Drug Administration has its third warning This year, at least 10 varieties of packaged ground cinnamon have been added, sold at popular outlets such as Dollar Tree, Patel Brothers, and Eurogrocery in several states.
The FDA has recommended that companies recall the products. In the meantime, consumers should throw away these ground cinnamon products and not buy them. There have been no reported illnesses associated with these products, the agency said.
Here’s what you need to know:
The FDA issued its final warning on Tuesday, naming the following cinnamon brands: El Chilar, Marcum, SWAD, Supreme Tradition, Compania Indillor Orientale, ALB Flavor, Shahzada, Spice Class and La Frontera.
On July 25, the agency issued a warning for El Servidor brand cinnamon. This followed a warning on March 6th.
Testing by state programs and confirmed by the FDA found lead levels ranging from just over 2 parts per million to about 7 parts per million in most of the spices, the agency said. The El Servidor brand was found to have a lead concentration of 20 parts per million.
That’s much lower than the 2,000 to 5,000 parts per million found in ground cinnamon in bags. WanaBana and other brands of cinnamon apple puree which sickened more than 500 American children last year.
There is currently no FDA limit for heavy metals in spices. However, the agency has set a limit of 1 part per million for lead in candies likely to be consumed by young children. The American Spice Trade Association, a trade group, calls for no more than 2 parts per million of lead in bark spices such as cinnamon.
According to Karen Everstine, technical director of FoodchainID, a company that maps food supply chains, many foods, including spices, contain lead from natural sources such as soil and water.
Spices can also accumulate lead from other sources in the environment, such as pollution. Some of the lead in spices may come from manufacturing, storage, or shipping processes.
In some cases, spices are mixed with substances, such as lead, to enhance the color or weight and thus increase the value of the product.
No amount of lead is safe, so it should be avoided, health officials say. Because spices are used in such small amounts, the potential harm from a single use is small, but damage can occur after weeks or months of exposure.
It can be difficult, if not impossible, to know whether the spices on grocery store shelves are contaminated with lead or other toxins, Everstine says.
Consumers should buy herbs from companies that have openly said they are checking their sources. They have a vested interest in protecting their brands, she said.
That can be tough, especially when grocery prices — including spices — remain high. But this is a time when it can be worth it, she added.
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