It’s one in three products.
Consumer Reports revealed on Thursday that one-third of the cinnamon products they tested had elevated levels of lead. This discovery comes in the wake of last year’s issue where contaminated cinnamon applesauce sickened hundreds of people, primarily children, across 44 states.
In their recent analysis, Consumer Reports evaluated 36 cinnamon products and found that 12 of them, mostly from discount and ethnic markets, contained high lead levels, with some reaching up to 3.5 parts per million (ppm). The FDA notes that the Codex Alimentarius, an international food safety council, is considering a maximum lead limit of 2.5 ppm for cinnamon and similar spices by 2024.
For instance, cinnamon from the Badia brand was found to have one part per million of lead. Consumer Reports recommends discarding any products with lead levels at or above this threshold. James Rogers, Director of Food Safety Research and Testing at Consumer Reports, pointed out that even small quantities of lead are dangerous as they can accumulate in the body over time, posing significant health risks.
While the lead levels detected in the tested cinnamon were not as extreme as those in the recalled applesauce, they were still significantly higher than what experts deem acceptable. Tomás Guilarte, a professor at Florida International University, highlighted that the detected levels were excessively high and should not be used.
However, some cinnamon products tested by Consumer Reports had much lower lead levels and were deemed safe. Brands like Whole Foods 365, McCormick, Penzeys, and Morton & Bassett were noted for having minimal or no detectable lead. The report suggests that lead contamination could occur due to contaminated soil where cinnamon trees are grown or through outdated processing equipment.
Consumer Reports advocates for a national policy to regulate lead levels in herbs and spices, similar to existing regulations in New York State. Brian Ronholm, Director of Food Safety Policy at Consumer Reports, called for the FDA to establish a comprehensive strategy to reduce lead exposure in all foods, criticizing the agency’s chronic underfunding, which hampers its ability to effectively address these issues.
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