Study on lead content of major cinnamon brands shows “worrying” results

Twelve cinnamon powders are on a list of substances that should not be used after food safety researchers conducted a study on lead levels.

According to Consumer Reports magazine, a test of 36 ground cinnamon and spice blend products found that a third of them “measured lead levels above 1 ppm – the limit that triggered a recall in New York, the only U.S. state that regulates heavy metals in spices.”

Consumer Reports calls the findings “troubling” because they “raised concerns among our experts, and we shared our data with New York authorities for further investigation.”

The Do Not Use list includes: Paras Cinnamon Powder, EGN Cinnamon Powder, Mimi's Products Ground Cinnamon, Bowl & Basket Ground Cinnamon, Zara Foods Cinnamon Powder, Three Rivers Cinnamon Stick Powder, Yu Yee Brand Five Spice Powder, BaiLiFeng Five Spice Powder, Spicy King Five Spice Powder, Badia Cinnamon Powder, Rani Brand Cinnamon Powder, and Deep Cinnamon Powder.

RECALL FOR GROUND CINNAMON EXTENDED AFTER DETECTION OF “ELEVATED LEAD LEVELS”

A picture of ground cinnamon. (Photo: iStock)

The tests, which examined products purchased in 17 stores in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and online, came after a series of lead poisonings among more than 500 children last fall that “were traced to the cinnamon in three brands of applesauce pouches,” according to Consumer Reports.

Shortly after the outbreak, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned consumers against using various products containing ground cinnamon that have elevated lead levels.

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“If you have one of these products, we believe you should throw it away,” said Dr. James Rogers, director of food safety research and testing at CR, in the report. “Even small amounts of lead pose a risk because it can build up in the body over time and remain there for years, causing serious harm to health.”

According to Consumer Reports, the manufacturers of two of the 12 products on the “do not use” list, Paras and EGN cinnamon powder, have announced that the products will be removed from the market. Deep and Yu Yee said they tested their products or relied on testing by their suppliers.

FOX Business tried to reach the manufacturers of Badia, Mimi's Products, Three Rivers, Rani Brand and Bowl & Basket, but they did not immediately respond. Attempts to reach Zara, BaiLiFeng and Spicy King were unsuccessful.

According to Consumer Reports, a number of popular store brands were rated acceptable. Costco's Kirkland Signature Organic Saigon Cinnamon, Walmart's Great Value Ground Cinnamon and Trader Joe's Organic Ground Cinnamon were among the 18 products on the “Okay to Use” list, while 365 Whole Foods Market Ground Cinnamon and Whole Foods Organic Ground Cinnamon were among the six “Best to Use” products, with the Organic Ground Cinnamon having the lowest lead content at just 0.02 ppm.

Side effects of high lead exposure in children include permanent damage to the central nervous system, leading to learning disabilities, developmental delays and other long-term health problems, the FDA said in an earlier press release.

Several brands of cinnamon powder are under scrutiny after a new report suggests high lead levels. (FDA/Fox News)

According to the FDA, adults suffering from chronic lead exposure are at risk of kidney dysfunction, high blood pressure and neurocognitive effects.

Lead is a naturally occurring element in the Earth's crust, says Laura Shumow, executive director of the American Spice Trade Association. Because cinnamon comes from the inner bark of cinnamon trees that come into contact with soil and groundwater, “it can pick up trace amounts of lead that can't be removed,” Shumov said, adding that there's no way to remove lead from cinnamon once it's there.

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Lead can also get into cinnamon through processing equipment, storage containers and packaging, Rogers said.

FOX Business' Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.