High Lead Levels in Cinnamon Powders and Spice Mixtures

There are currently no federal limits for lead in cinnamon or other spices. But Enrico Dinges, a spokesperson for the FDA, says that even without a limit, the agency can take action against a product, such as issuing a health alert, if it learns the product has excessive levels either from the agency’s or a state’s testing. 

The FDA didn’t answer CR’s question about what level of lead would trigger such an alert or recall, saying instead the agency issues them on a “case by case basis.” The FDA used that authority when it recently warned consumers to avoid 17 ground cinnamon products. All of those products had lead levels above 2 ppm, which is comparable with a limit recently proposed by the European Union for how much lead is allowed in herbs and spices. 

Earlier this year, while discussing the agency’s health alerts issued for ground cinnamon with high lead, Conrad Choiniere, PhD, acting deputy director for regulatory affairs within FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said, “Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the manufacturers and the importers to ensure the safety of the products entering the U.S. market.”

The FDA told CR that it could not comment on our test results but added that it regularly reviews ground cinnamon test results from states.

By contrast, New York state set a 1 ppm limit for lead in spices in 2016. Any spice over that limit is subject to recall by the state. In fact, New York state has since recalled more than 100 spices due to heavy metal contamination. 

When CR informed New York state’s Department of Agriculture that 12 products we tested had lead levels above 1 ppm, the agency said it could not comment on our test results but that it regularly monitors food products, including spices, for hazards and “takes swift action to remove these products from shelves” when problems are found.

Brian Ronholm, director of food safety policy at CR, says the federal government should follow New York in setting a national policy on the amount of lead allowed in herbs and spices, including cinnamon, and other foods.

“Ultimately, we want the FDA to develop a preventive strategy for reducing lead exposure in all foods,” he says. “Right now, they’re just not in a position to do that because they’re chronically underfunded, and have been for decades, particularly on the food side, and that makes it very difficult for them to summon the will to focus on this.”