The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned consumers to stop using six brands of ground cinnamon that have been found to have high levels of lead. The FDA said that the lead contamination was linked to more than 460 cases of lead poisoning in children who ate cinnamon-flavored applesauce pouches that were recalled in October. The FDA said that it is working with the distributors of the ground cinnamon products to recall them from the market.
The Source of the Lead Contamination
The FDA’s investigation into the lead contamination in cinnamon products started in October 2023, when it received reports of lead poisoning in children who ate cinnamon-flavored applesauce pouches sold under the WanaBana, Schnucks, and Weis brands. The FDA said that the pouches contained cinnamon imported from Ecuador, and that the cinnamon was the source of the lead contamination. The FDA said that the lead levels in some of the pouches were thousands of times higher than the allowable limit, and that the exposure to lead could cause serious health problems, especially in children.
The FDA said that it tested more than 1,000 samples of the pouches, and found that the lead concentrations ranged from about 2,300 parts per million (ppm) to about 5,100 ppm. The FDA said that the allowable limit for lead in food is 0.1 ppm, and that the lead levels in the pouches were far above the levels that would trigger a recall. The FDA said that it traced the cinnamon to a supplier in Ecuador, and that it notified the Ecuadorian authorities and requested them to stop the export of the contaminated cinnamon.
The FDA said that it also contacted the manufacturers of the pouches, and that they voluntarily recalled the products and cooperated with the investigation. The FDA said that it received more than 460 confirmed and suspected cases of lead poisoning in children who ate the pouches, and that it is still investigating the extent and the severity of the outbreak.
The Affected Brands of Ground Cinnamon
The FDA said that it expanded its investigation to other cinnamon products sold at various stores, and that it analyzed the samples for lead and chromium. The FDA said that it found that six brands of ground cinnamon sold at discount stores had elevated levels of lead, and that it issued a safety alert to consumers to stop using them. The FDA said that the lead levels in the ground cinnamon products were lower than the levels in the pouches, but that they were still above the allowable limit, and that prolonged exposure to them could be unsafe.
The FDA said that the affected brands of ground cinnamon are:
- La Fiesta, lot 25033, sold at La Superior SuperMercados
- Marcum, best by 10/16/25 and 4/06/25, sold at Save A Lot
- MTC, sold at SF Supermarket
- Swad, lot KX21223, sold at Patel Brothers
- Supreme Tradition, best buy dates from 4/25 through 9/25, sold at Dollar Tree and Family Dollar
- El Chillar, F275EX1026 and D300EX1024, sold at La Joya Morelense in Baltimore, Maryland
The FDA said that it has advised the distributors of the ground cinnamon products to recall them, and that consumers who have them at home should stop using them and throw them away.
The Health Risks of Lead Exposure
The FDA said that lead is a toxic metal that can cause serious and irreversible damage to the nervous system, the kidneys, the blood, and the brain. The FDA said that children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of lead, as their bodies absorb more lead than adults, and their brains and nervous systems are still developing. The FDA said that lead exposure in children can cause:
- Learning and behavior problems
- Lower IQ and decreased ability to pay attention
- Anemia and reduced growth
- Hearing loss and headaches
- Seizures and coma
The FDA said that most people have no obvious immediate symptoms of lead exposure, and that the only way to detect lead poisoning is through a blood test. The FDA said that anyone who may have been exposed to elevated levels of lead should talk to a health care provider, and that children under six years old should be tested regularly for lead.
The FDA said that it is continuing its investigation into the lead contamination in cinnamon products, and that it will update the public as more information becomes available.