High levels of lead found in 12 cinnamon brands. See a list of products to avoid.
FDA says lead-contaminated applesauce packets lacked proper testing
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A year after recalled applesauce pouches containing cinnamon left more than 500 kids with lead poisoning, new research is offering further cause for concern regarding the popular spice used in baked goods and frequently sprinkled on coffee and oatmeal.
Consumer Reports found troubling levels of lead in one-third of ground cinnamon and cinnamon-containing spice blends it tested, according to the findings released Thursday. The tests involved brands carried by mainstream grocery stores as well as those that sell international foods.
Purchased from 17 stores in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and online, 12 of 36 brands measured above 1 part per million of lead — the threshold that triggers a recall in New York, the only U.S. state to regulate heavy metals in spices, according to the advocacy group.
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Federal and state officials are still investigating the outbreak tied to 519 cases of food poisoning in 44 states and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, according to a March update by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Food and Drug Administration followed up with a warning against 17 ground cinnamon products found to contain high levels of lead.
Short-term exposure to very low levels of lead may not result in symptoms, but longer-term exposure to the metal can cause permanent damage to the central nervous system, resulting in learning disorders and other developmental defects in children. Chronic lead exposure is associated with kidney issues, hypertension and adverse cognitive effects in adults, according to health officials.
Kate Gibson
Source: cbsnews.com