FDA takes steps to ensure safety of some cinnamon products sold in US
The agency has recommended recalls on six brands.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a new alert for consumers concerning some cinnamon products after the agency reported elevated lead levels in multiple products.
"Through product testing, the FDA has determined that the ground cinnamon products listed in the table below contain elevated levels of lead and that prolonged exposure to these products may be unsafe," the agency stated Wednesday, sharing a list of what it says are the affected products.
The FDA has advised consumers "to throw away and not to buy" La Fiesta, Marcum, MK, Swad, Supreme Tradition and El Chilar brands of ground cinnamon sold in several U.S. retail chains.
Retailers that carry the impacted products include La Superior Supermercados, Save A Lot, SF Supermarket, Patel Brothers, Dollar Tree and Family Dollar and La Joya Morelense in Baltimore, Maryland.
Some of the products bear "best by" dates between April and October 2025. A full list of impacted products, "best by" dates, and lot codes can be found here.
Click here to see the full table from the FDA with additional product information.
"The FDA has recommended that the firms voluntarily recall these products, with the exception of the MTCI cinnamon. The FDA has been unable to reach MTCI to share our findings and request that the company initiate a recall," the advisory stated. "The FDA will update this notice with the communications from firms that voluntarily agree to recall as we receive them."
MTCI, the maker of MK cinnamon, did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment.
This alert comes on the heels of a recent recall that involved cinnamon apple sauce pouches that were found to contain high levels of lead that sickened children in the U.S. last fall.
Lead levels found in the ground cinnamon products are significantly lower than the lead levels in cinnamon in the recalled apple sauce pouches removed from the market last year.
The products currently recommended for recall contain lead levels ranging from 2.03 to 3.4 parts per million (ppm) lead. The levels are approximately 2,000 ppm to 5,000 ppm lower than the levels of lead associated with the cinnamon in the recalled apple puree and apple sauce products, meaning the ground cinnamon products do not pose the same level of risk to human health as the apple sauce pouches, but could still be unsafe for prolonged use.
"Long-term exposure (months to years) to elevated levels of lead in the diet could contribute to adverse health effects, particularly for the portion of the population that may already have elevated blood lead levels from other exposures to lead," the FDA stated Wednesday.
"High levels of exposure to lead in utero, infancy, and early childhood can lead to neurological effects such as learning disabilities, behavior difficulties, and lowered IQ," the agency added, recommending that anyone who believes they or a loved one may have symptoms of lead toxicity should contact their health care provider.
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