Cinnamon is frequently used in baking and savory dishes, but shoppers should be cautious about their choices after a recent report revealed significant lead contamination in some brands.

Consumer Reports, a nonprofit organization that evaluates product safety and performance, discovered elevated lead levels in cinnamon and multi-spice powders from 12 brands, such as Paras, EGN, Mimi’s Products, Bowl & Basket, Rani Brand, Zara Foods, Three Rivers, Yu Yee Brand, BaiLiFeng, Spicy King, Badia, and Deep.

The tested ground cinnamon and spice mixes contained lead levels exceeding 1 part per million (ppm), the threshold established by New York state for product recalls, according to the nonprofit. Consumer Reports’ food safety specialists recommend that consumers “stay away from these products.”

Just a quarter teaspoon of any of the listed cinnamon products contains more lead than the daily limit for safe consumption, according to James Rogers, the director of food safety research and testing at Consumer Reports.

“If you have any of these products, it’s advisable to dispose of them,” said Rogers. “Even minor lead exposure can be harmful, as it can accumulate over time in the body and lead to serious health issues.”

Constant exposure to lead can lead to a weakened immune system, reproductive problems, kidney damage, mood swings, cognitive difficulties, and high blood pressure in adults, as per Mayo Clinic. In children, it may result in impaired growth and development, behavioral problems, seizures, and various physical symptoms, according to the medical institution.

What lead levels were detected in the identified cinnamon and spice products?

According to the report, Paras cinnamon powder exhibited the highest lead concentration at 3.52 ppm. The lead levels in other cinnamon and multi-spice products that Consumer Reports advised avoiding include:

• 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 spice powder (1.05 ppm)
• Badia cinnamon powder (1.03 ppm)
• Deep cinnamon powder (1.02 ppm)

Paras and EGN will discontinue their products

In response to the findings from Consumer Reports, Paras and EGN announced that they would cease selling their cinnamon powder products and take them off store shelves.

Both Deep and Yu Yee Brand informed Consumer Reports that they “have either tested their product or depended on tests from their suppliers.”

Mimi’s Products claimed to rely on analytical reports from suppliers, asserting that no lead levels over 1 part per million were detected in their ground cinnamon, as stated by a spokesperson for NAC Foods, the manufacturer.

Wakefern Food Corp., the parent company of ShopRite Bowl & Basket, assured CNN that “the quality of our products is paramount and our cinnamon adheres to all safety and quality standards.”

Badia Spices reiterated that their ground cinnamon products comply with all federal and international regulations, according to a spokesperson.

YSL News has reached out to several other companies named in the report but is yet to receive any replies.

Which cinnamon products have lower lead levels?

Consumer Reports also identified some cinnamon and spice products from brands that were safe after testing their lead content. These include McCormick cinnamon (0.23 ppm), Kirkland Signature organic Saigon cinnamon (0.80 ppm), Great Value ground cinnamon (0.79 ppm), Trader Joe’s organic ground cinnamon (0.69 ppm), Good & Gather ground cinnamon (0.56 ppm), Simply Organic cinnamon (0.28 ppm), 365 Whole Foods Market ground cinnamon (0.12 ppm), 365 Whole Foods Market organic ground cinnamon (0.02 ppm), and Sadaf cinnamon powder (0.04 ppm).

McCormick stated that it monitors “environmental factors that may increase the natural presence of heavy metals.” Simply Organic indicated that it adheres to New York state’s limits and conducts “thorough in-house inspections and additional product testing for every shipment,” as per the nonprofit.