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Pumpkin spice lovers beware: Unsafe levels of lead found in these 12 common types of cinnamon

A new food safety warning may have you organizing your spice rack this week. That’s because certain types of cinnamon contain worrisome levels of lead, according to a new warning from Consumer Reports.

In an article published Thursday, Consumer Reports warns that at least a dozen cinnamon products and other cinnamon-based spice mixes contain high levels of lead. Of the 36 products the researchers tested, 12 contained more than one part per million—the maximum amount of lead allowed in New York State. And three of the spices had levels so high that they exceeded the guidelines set by the American Spice Trade Association.

James Rogers, PhD, director of food safety and research at Consumer Reports, says a quarter of a teaspoon of any of these products contains more lead than is safe for a person to eat in a day.

“If you have one of those products, we think you should throw it away,” he said in the report. “Even a small amount of lead is dangerous because over time it can accumulate in the body and stay there for years, seriously damaging health.”

Worryingly, products that are considered unsafe are not hard to find. Many popular cinnamon products are listed.

The list of unsafe cinnamon powders includes: Paras Cinnamon Powder; EGN Cinnamon Powder; Mimi’s Ground Cinnamon; Bowl & Basket Ground Cinnamon; Rani Ground Cinnamon; Zara Ground Cinnamon; Deep Cinnamon Powder; Badia Cinnamon Powder; and Three Rivers Cinnamon Stick Powder.

Unsafe spice mixes were Five Spices Powder by Spicy King, BaiLeeFeng, and Yu Yee Brand.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen recalls related to elevated lead levels in cinnamon products recently. In 2023, the Food and Drug Administration recalled millions of apple cinnamon bags, popular with young children, over unsafe levels of lead. This year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said these bags are linked to about 400 toxins.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pregnant women and children are at high risk of lead-related problems. Low birth weight, premature birth, and a higher risk of miscarriage or stillbirth have all been linked to lead exposure.

The WHO states that children absorb more lead than adults. High exposure has been linked to brain and nervous system problems in children, such as hearing, speech, and learning or behavioral problems. Older people can experience fertility problems, kidney damage, high blood pressure, immune system problems, and more.

Consumer Reports has labeled a number of products “OK to Use,” and includes a list of cinnamon products with the least risk.

The six “Best to Use” products, containing the lowest levels of lead, were: 365 Whole Foods Market Ground Cinnamon, 365 Whole Foods Market Organic Ground Cinnamon, Loisa Organic Cinnamon, Morton & Bassett San Francisco Organic Ground Cinnamon, Sadaf Cinnamon Powder. , and the Sadaf Seven Spice blend.

Find the full list of products that are safe to use, okay, and the best products here.


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