High Lead Levels in Cinnamon: A Consumer Reports study identified 12 cinnamon brands with lead levels exceeding 1 part per million (ppm), which could trigger recalls in states like New York.
Highest Offender: Paras cinnamon powder topped the list, containing 3.52 ppm of lead, posing the greatest health risk among the tested products.
Other Affected Brands: EGN, Mimi's Products, Bowl & Basket, and Rani Brand are also among the brands with dangerous lead concentrations.
Health Risks of Lead: Lead exposure is harmful, especially to children, potentially affecting intelligence, behaviour, and learning. It also increases adults' risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and kidney damage.
Lead Accumulation: Even small amounts of lead can accumulate in the body over time, posing long-term health risks as it remains for years.
Brands Pull Products: Paras and EGN have voluntarily pulled their products from stores following the report, while other brands have been contacted for comment.
FDA Monitoring: The FDA has been actively testing cinnamon for lead after a previous outbreak linked to contaminated cinnamon-flavoured apple sauce sickened 500 children in the U.S.
Safer Alternatives: Safer cinnamon brands identified include Kirkland Signature, Great Value, Trader Joe’s, McCormick, Sadaf, and 365 Whole Foods, all with significantly lower lead levels.
FDA Lead Warning: The FDA has confirmed there is no known safe level of lead exposure, prompting public health alerts for several unsafe cinnamon products.
Public Health Impact: Consumers are advised to discard certain cinnamon products and opt for safer brands due to the elevated lead risks, particularly to children’s health.