Only 6 cinnamon brands were safe to eat, according to a Consumer Reports investigation.
Ground cinnamon has come under fire lately, with the Food and Drug Administration recalling several products in March due to elevated lead levels. A new investigation from Consumer Reports finds that there’s still an issue with lead in ground cinnamon — and your go-to brand could be putting your health at risk.
For the report, food safety scientists analyzed 36 ground cinnamon products — in addition to spice blends that contain cinnamon — for the presence of lead. The researchers discovered that 12 of the 36 products tested measured above 1 part per million, which would trigger a recall in New York — the only state that regulates heavy metals in spices.
However, several other cinnamon products have lead levels that Consumer Reports says are concerning enough to limit your use, and some are from big-name brands.
James E. Rogers, PhD, director and acting head of product safety testing at Consumer Reports, says that the company decided to test lead levels in cinnamon after the FDA recalled both ground cinnamon and cinnamon-flavored applesauce products over the past few years. “That told us that something is going on in cinnamon,” he says.
So, which products should you avoid, and why is this concerning? Based on the findings, here’s what we know.
Consumer Reports tested both popular products you can get at your local grocery store and ground cinnamon from specialty shops. “Most of the contamination came from products purchased from smaller brands and stores,” Rogers says. Those include:
Based on the findings, only six products were deemed the best to use. They include:
It’s important to note that Consumer Reports also found that some products landed in a middle ground that didn’t make them unsafe to use but didn’t classify them as the safest. (The organization explicitly labels them as “OK to use,” provided consumption is kept at a minimum.)
Those included well-known brands like:
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There are a few different ways lead can wind up in cinnamon. “Lead can be present in the soil where cinnamon is grown, especially in countries with heavy industrial activity or where leaded gasoline and pesticides were once used,” says Darin Detwiler, L.P.D., an associate teaching professor of food policy at Northeastern University and author of Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions.
“Plants can absorb lead from contaminated soil or water.”
Detwiler says that Lead can also find its way into cinnamon during the production, drying, and grinding process. “Equipment or facilities contaminated with lead can introduce it into the final product,” he explains. “Improper quality controls can allow this contamination to go undetected.”
Some types of cinnamon may even be stored in containers or packages that contain lead, which could lead to contamination, Rogers says.
“There are several ways contamination can happen, but probably the most likely reason is where the cinnamon is grown and how it’s irrigated,” he says.
One important thing to remember is that the FDA does not know a safe level of exposure to lead. Jamie Alan, Ph.D., an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University, calls the findings “concerning, particularly given the fact that ¼ teaspoons of cinnamon contain enough lead to exceed the recommended daily amounts for some brands.”
Alan says the biggest concern is children. “Lead interferes with neural development, and exposure in children can lead to neurodevelopmental issues, including ADHD,” she says. (Alan notes that lead is still a concern for adults, but exposure to children is particularly worrying.)
“That said, the amount of lead varies considerably among the brands tested,” Alan says. “Also, you need to consider the cumulative amount of exposure.
If you eat a Snickerdoodle or even two at a family gathering, that is likely OK. If you are eating two packages of cinnamon applesauce daily, that makes me more concerned.”
Still, lead builds up in the body over time. “Even low levels in cinnamon powder could contribute to long-term health risks if consumed regularly,” Detwiler says.
Rogers says it’s important not to panic over the report’s findings. “But become an informed consumer,” he says. “Buy the cinnamon with the lowest amount of contamination demonstrated by our study and others.” If you’re at the store and unsure what to purchase,
he recommends that you “stick with the big-name brands,” given that these were less likely to have higher lead levels.
It’s also a good idea to use different spices when you can, says Leigh A. Frame, Ph.D., associate director of the George Washington University Resiliency & Well-being Center. “It’s wise to diversify your diet to avoid repeated exposure to potentially contaminated sources of any one food, including spices like cinnamon,” she says.
But Alan agrees that it’s essential to put the findings in perspective. “While this can pose health concerns, the typical person is likely not consuming enough cinnamon to have any lasting impact,” she says.
“That said, if your child regularly consumes cinnamon, it’s worth checking the source and asking your healthcare provider about testing for lead exposure and toxicity.”
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