The Food and Drug Administration just expanded its list of lead-tainted cinnamon products sold in the U.S., adding yet another brand that may be unsafe for consumption.
The latest notice warns against consuming or selling ground cinnamon distributed by New York-based El Servidor. Altogether, the FDA has alerted consumers about at least 10 lead-contaminated cinnamon products since October, 2023. Products to throw away and not buy include:
Lead exposure remains a serious health risk globally; that includes the U.S., despite numerous efforts to limit contact with the toxic element, such as the EPA’s phase-out of leaded gasoline, which concluded in the 1990s, and a 1971 act that banned the sale of lead-based paint.
There are many causes of lead exposure today. Lead-battery manufacturing and recycling facilities, aviation gasoline, products coated in lead paint, lead bullets, and paint and pipes in old buildings are just some of the culprits contaminating the air, soil, water, and food with lead. The heavy metal is also sometimes intentionally added to food products to increase their weight and boost their color.
There is no safe level of lead exposure, and it’s particularly harmful for babies and kids under six who are rapidly developing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
El Servidor-brand ground cinnamon was found to contain 20 parts per million (PPM) of lead, while the other ground cinnamon products flagged by the FDA contained levels between 2.03 and 3.4 PPM. Some cinnamon used in WanaBana-brand pouches was found to contain as much as 5,110 PPM of lead. While the FDA has not laid out a specific lead limit for spices, the European Union reportedly does not allow the sale of cinnamon containing more than 2 PPM of lead.
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