A Consumer Reports investigation reveals dangerous levels of lead in some cinnamons

The pantry staple found in many of our kitchens can be toxic. These are the disturbing findings of a new Consumer Reports investigation into lead in ground cinnamon. In some cases, tests show high levels of lead.

Consumer Reports tested 36 ground cinnamon products and cinnamon spice blends. One of the three had lead levels above 1 part per million — a threshold that could trigger a product recall in New York state, but not nationwide.

Just a quarter of a teaspoon of any of these products contains more lead than you should consume in an entire day. This is an important reminder that lead exposure can have serious health consequences, especially for children and during pregnancy. In adults, it is associated with kidney damage and hypertension.

How does lead get into cinnamon? Cinnamon trees take about ten years to grow, which gives them enough time to absorb lead from the soil and water. Additionally, lead concentration may occur during the drying process. Most cinnamon sold in the U.S. comes from Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, where regulations on soil contamination may be less stringent.

The highest lead levels in CR tests were found in three lesser-known brands: Mimi’s Products, Paras and EGN, which are mainly sold in international food markets. Consumer Reports says if you have one of these products, you should throw it away. After being informed of the results, only Paras and EGN told Consumer Reports that they would stop selling their products.

Only two of the ten remaining companies responded: Deep and Yu Yee. Both said they tested their product or relied on their suppliers’ testing. On the other hand, six products had very low or no lead levels, including 365 Whole Foods Market and Morton & Bassett San Francisco.

If you’re wondering what the government is doing about this, there are no federal limits on lead in cinnamon or any other spice. Consumer advocates are calling for national regulations similar to those in New York, where more than 100 spices have been recalled since 2016 due to heavy metal contamination.

CR reported its results to the Food and Drug Administration. The agency said it could not comment on CR testing. In the meantime, experts recommend in CR testing to choose cinnamon with the lowest lead content, stick to mainstream brands, and limit overall lead exposure from all sources.