The FDA just expanded the list of lead-contaminated cinnamon products sold in the United States, adding another brand that may be unsafe to eat.
The latest notice warns not to eat or sell cinnamon powder distributed by El Servidor of New York. In total, the FDA has issued consumer warnings about at least 10 cinnamon products contaminated with lead since October 2023.
Lead exposure remains a serious health risk worldwide; including in the United States, despite numerous efforts to limit exposure to the toxic element, such as the EPA’s phase-out of leaded gasoline in the 1990s and the 1971 An act to sell lead paint.
Today, there are many causes of lead exposure. Lead battery manufacturing and recycling facilities, aviation gasoline, products coated with lead paint, lead bullets, and paint and pipes in older buildings are just some of the major contributors to lead contamination of air, soil, water, and food. Heavy metals are also sometimes intentionally added to foods to add weight and enhance their color.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no safe level of lead exposure and it is especially harmful to rapidly growing infants and children under six years old.
El Servidor brand cinnamon was found to contain 20 parts per million (PPM) of lead, while other cinnamon products labeled by the FDA had lead levels ranging from 2.03 to 3.4 PPM. Some cinnamon used in WanaBana brand bags was found to contain up to 5,110 PPM of lead. While the FDA has not set specific lead limits for spices, the EU reportedly does not allow the sale of cinnamon with lead levels exceeding 2 PPM.
