FDA Warns About Cinnamon Products Due to Lead Contamination

On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) disseminated a safety advisory, revealing the added cinnamon products in the United States tainted with lead.

FDA Warns About Toxin on Some Cinnamon Products

The identified ground cinnamon products include La Fiesta from La Superior SuperMercados, Marcum from Save A Lot, MK from SF Supermarket, Swad from Patel Brothers, La Fiesta from La Superior SuperMercados and La Fiesta from La Superior SuperMercados

The FDA strongly advises against consuming, selling, or serving these ground cinnamon products and recommends discarding them. This warning follows the recall of lead-contaminated cinnamon applesauce pouches by WanaBana USA, a Florida-based company.

As of February 23, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 468 cases of confirmed, suspected, and probable lead poisoning linked to the pouches across 44 states, primarily affecting young children.

The FDA had previously identified cinnamon as the likely source of lead contamination in the applesauce pouches and subsequently initiated sampling of ground cinnamon products from discount stores to assess lead contamination.

It remains unclear if the contaminated products identified by the FDA on Wednesday originate from the same supplier as WanaBana. The FDA has not yet responded to inquiries for clarification.

Despite the extended shelf life of the products, the FDA emphasizes the importance of not consuming them.

As of now, no diseases or adverse incidents similar to the consumption of these tainted cinnamon products have been recorded.

List of Products with Suspected Lead Contamination

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a health advisory cautioning consumers about the presence of lead in six brands of ground cinnamon. The FDA recommended discarding and refraining from purchasing the following ground cinnamon brands:

• La Fiesta - available at La Superior SuperMercados
• Marcum - sold at Save A Lot
• MK - found at SF Supermarket
• Swad - available at Patel Brothers
• Supreme Tradition - sold at Dollar Tree and Family Dollar
• El Chilar - sold at La Joya Morelense in Baltimore

This updated list of contaminated ground cinnamon products follows a recall in October 2023 involving cinnamon applesauce and apple puree products due to elevated lead levels.

In response to the recall, the FDA initiated testing on ground cinnamon from discount retail stores to check for lead or chromium.

Company's Responsibility on Product Safety

The FDA considered the companies liable for these ground cinnamon brands to recall their products. Lead is a poisonous substance, particularly hazardous to children, with no protected exposure level, as per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Starting manifestations of lead toxicity may consist of headaches, stomach and muscle aches, vomiting, anemia, irritability, fatigue, and weight loss.

Children, due to their smaller size and fast development, are exclusively affected by lead exposure, which can lead to developmental delays, learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and lowered IQ.

The levels of lead identified in the listed ground cinnamon products range from 2.03 to 3.4 parts per million, approximately lower than the levels found in the recalled cinnamon apple puree and applesauce products manufactured by Austrofoods.

The recent products, supplied by a now-defunct Ecuadorian company called Carlos Aguilera, had lead levels between 2,270 and 5,110 parts per million.

The investigation into the applesauce recall highlighted the challenges of FDA oversight of imported products in the complex international network of food suppliers, processors, and manufacturers.

The FDA's authority over foreign ingredient suppliers is limited, especially if the food undergoes further processing before export.

In the case of ground cinnamon, the FDA is focusing on U.S. sellers to prevent the sale of tainted items. The agency highlights the liability of manufacturers and importers to assure the safety of products entering the U.S. market.

Additionally, the FDA sent a letter to all cinnamon manufacturers, processors, distributors, and facility operators in the U.S., recalling them of the requirement to implement controls to avoid contamination from possible chemical hazards in food, including ground cinnamon products.