The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stepped up its efforts to combat the elevated levels of lead found recently in cinnamon products in the U.S. The agency has warned all cinnamon manufacturers, processors, distributors and facility operators that they are required to implement controls to prevent contamination from potential chemical hazards in food. Furthermore, FDA has issued an advisory and recommended a voluntary recall of six ground cinnamon products found to contain elevated lead levels and sold in retail.
The products containing lead were identified during sampling and testing of cinnamon products across numerous retail stores, a move spurred by the October 2023 recall of cinnamon applesauce pouches that sickened dozens of children in the U.S. FDA continues to investigate the source and events surrounding that incident.
The six products that are being called out this time have not caused any illnesses or adverse events to date, but FDA still advises the products be thrown away and not sold by the retail outlets. The list of products the FDA has targeted can be found in a table in this notice.
FDA has contacted each of the firms involved, and they are working with the agency to voluntarily recall the products — with the exception of MTCI, which has been unreachable to this point, according to the agency.
FDA notes that the lead levels in these six products are significantly lower than those found in the recalled applesauce pouches in the fall of 2023 — to the immediate risk to human health isn’t as great, but prolonged use could be unsafe.
