Ground cinnamon has come under fire lately, with the Food and Drug Administration recalling several products in March due to elevated levels of lead. Now, a new investigation from Consumer Reports finds that there’s still an issue with lead in ground cinnamon — and your go-to brand could be putting your health at risk.
For the report, food safety scientists analyzed 36 ground cinnamon products — in addition to spice blends that contain cinnamon — for the presence of lead. The researchers discovered that 12 of the 36 products tested measured above 1 part per million, which would trigger a recall in New York — the only state that regulates heavy metals in spices. But several other cinnamon products had lead levels that Consumer Reports says are concerning enough for you to limit your use, and some are from big-name brands.
James E. Rogers, PhD, director and acting head of product safety testing at Consumer Reports, says that the company decided to test lead levels in cinnamon after the FDA’s recall of both ground cinnamon and cinnamon-flavored applesauce products over the past few years. “That told us that there’s something going on in cinnamon,” he says.
So, which products should you avoid and why is this concerning? Here’s what we know, based on the findings.
Which products had the most lead?
Consumer Reports made a point to test both popular products you can get at your local grocery store and ground cinnamon from specialty shops. “Most of the contamination came from products that were purchased from smaller brands and stores,” Rogers says. Those include:
Paras cinnamon powder (3.52 ppm)EGN cinnamon powder (2.91 ppm)Mimi’s Products ground cinnamon (2.03 ppm)Bowl & Basket ground cinnamon (1.82 ppm)Rani Brand ground cinnamon (1.39 ppm)Zara Foods cinnamon powder (1.27 ppm)Three Rivers cinnamon stick powder (1.26 ppm)Yu Yee Brand five spice powder (1.25 ppm)BaiLiFeng five spice powder (1.15 ppm)Spicy King five spices powder (1.05 ppm)Badia cinnamon powder (1.03 ppm)Deep cinnamon powder (1.02 ppm)
Which brands were the safest?
Only six products were deemed the best to use, based on the findings. They include:
365 Whole Food Market organic ground cinnamon (0.02 ppm)Loisa organic cinnamon (0.04 ppm)Morton & Bassett San Francisco 100% organic ground cinnamon (0.04 ppm)Sadaf cinnamon powder (0.04 ppm)365 Whole Foods Market ground cinnamon (0.12 ppm)Sadaf seven spice (0.15 ppm)
It’s important to note that Consumer Reports also found that some products landed in a middle ground that didn’t make them unsafe to use — but also didn’t classify them as being the safest. (The organization specifically labels them as “okay to use,” provided consumption is kept at a minimum.)
Those included well-known brands like:
McCormick ground cinnamon (0.23 ppm) Simply Organic cinnamon (0.28 ppm)Bassett San Francisco ground cinnamon (0.55 ppm)Good & Gather ground cinnamon (0.56 ppm) Trader Joe organic ground cinnamon (0.69 ppm) Great Value ground cinnamon (0.79 ppm) Kirkland Signature organic Saigon cinnamon (0.80 ppm)
How does lead end up in cinnamon?
There are a few different ways lead can wind up in cinnamon. “Lead can be present in the soil where cinnamon is grown, especially in countries with heavy industrial activity or where leaded gasoline and pesticides were once used,” says Darin Detwiler, L.P.D., an associate teaching professor of food policy at Northeastern University and author of Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions. “Plants can absorb lead from contaminated soil or water.”
Lead can also find its way into cinnamon during the production, drying, and grinding process, Detwiler says. “Equipment or facilities contaminated with lead can introduce it into the final product,” he explains. “Improper quality controls can allow this contamination to go undetected.”
Some types of cinnamon may even be stored in containers or packages that contain lead, which could lead to contamination, Rogers says. “There are a number of ways contamination can happen, but probably the most likely reason is where the cinnamon is grown and how it’s irrigated,” he says.
Just how concerning is lead in cinnamon?
One important thing to remember is that there is no known safe level of exposure to lead, per the FDA. Jamie Alan, Ph.D., an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University, calls the findings “concerning, particularly given the fact that ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon contains enough lead to exceed the recommended daily amounts for some brands.”
The biggest concern is for children, Alan says. “Lead interferes with neural development, and exposure in children can lead to neurodevelopmental issues, including ADHD,” she says. (Alan notes that lead is still a concern for adults, but exposure to children is particularly worrying.)
“That said, the amount of lead varies considerably among the brands tested,” Alan says. “Also, you need to consider the cumulative amount of exposure. If you eat a Snickerdoodle or even two at a family gathering, that is likely OK. If you are eating two packages of cinnamon applesauce daily, that makes me more concerned.”
Still, lead builds up in the body over time. “Even low levels in cinnamon powder could contribute to long-term health risks if consumed regularly,” Detwiler says.
What you can do to prevent lead poisoning
Rogers says it’s important not to panic over the report’s findings. “But become an informed consumer,” he says. “Buy the cinnamon that has the lowest amount of contamination demonstrated by our study and others.” If you’re at the store and are unsure of what to purchase, he recommends that you “stick with the big-name brands,” given that these were less likely to have higher levels of lead.
It’s also a good idea to use different spices, when you can, says Leigh A. Frame, Ph.D., associate director of the George Washington University Resiliency & Well-being Center. “It’s wise to diversify your diet to avoid repeated exposure to potentially contaminated sources of any one food, including spices like cinnamon,” she says.
But Alan agrees that it’s important to put the findings in perspective. “While this can pose health concerns, the typical person is likely not consuming enough cinnamon to have any lasting impact,” she says. “That said, if your child is regularly consuming something containing cinnamon, it’s worth checking the source and asking your healthcare provider about testing for lead exposure and toxicity.”
