FDA issues an alert for ground cinnamon products over high levels of lead: Details explored

The United States Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to use certain ground cinnamon products over concerns about the presence of high lead levels. If consumed, the affected products may pose risks of lead poisoning and can severely affect people of varying ages.

The nationwide alert issued this week covers ground cinnamon products from at least six brands, including - El Chilar, La Fiesta, Marcum, MK, Supreme Tradition, and Swad. The federal agency has already advised the concerned firms to recall their products voluntarily, and all but MTCI - MK cinnamon's distributor - have responded to the correspondence.

It is to be noted that the FDA's alert is linked to the recall of cinnamon-flavored children's applesauce products issued back in October 2023. At that time, the cinnamon-containing applesauce products from major brands like Schnucks, Weis, and WanaBana reportedly contained high levels of lead. They were linked to several cases of elevated blood lead levels in children of various ages.

FDA Warns against six brands of ground cinnamon products containing high levels of lead (Image via Stevepb / Pixabay)

Over the last few months, the FDA has been investigating the reason behind the lead contamination in cinnamon-containing applesauce products, and the federal agency suspects that they may have been adulterated on purpose. As per the reports, lead chromates are often illegally added to select spices to enhance the color and weight and to sell them at potentially higher value.

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All you need to know about FDA's warning against six cinnamon product brands

Consumers across the United States are being warned against using ground cinnamon products from six brands, including - El Chilar, La Fiesta, Marcum, MK, Supreme Tradition, and Swad. Feared to contain relatively higher levels of lead, the affected products may be unsafe for prolonged usage. They may result in high blood lead levels in people of varying ages, including children.

It is to be noted that lead is abundantly present in the environment and often finds its way into our food. However, as high levels of lead accumulate in the body, it may pose risks of adverse effects like nervous system and brain damage.

While these adverse effects can affect people of all ages, they can be a bit too severe in growing children and may also pose a risk of learning problems along with delayed mental and physical growth.

As such, even though the affected ground cinnamon products are not directly meant for children, the FDA believes it is best to recall them because they could be actively used in food and beverages made for young children.

The recall of the concerned cinnamon products will not only help tackle a food safety issue but will also help reduce the overall amount of lead in the diet of children nationwide.

The ground cinnamon products affected by the FDA's alert are from brands like El Chilar, Marcum, La Fiesta, Supreme Tradition, MK, and Swad (Image via Pixabay / Pexels)

While some of the products are already being recalled by the firms, others are expected to be recalled in the coming days. Consumers can recognize the affected ground cinnamon products by referring to the details mentioned in the table below:

Distributor	Retailers	Brand Names(s)	Lots/Codes	Lead Concentration (ppm)
La Fiesta Food Products La Miranda, CA	La Superior SuperMercados	La Fiesta	25033	2.73
Moran Foods, LLC Saint Ann, MO	Save A Lot	Marcum	Best By: 10/16/25 10DB 04/06/25 0400B1	3.20 2.70
MTCI Santa Fe Springs, CA	SF Supermarket	MK	No codes	2.99
Raja Foods LLC Skokie, IL	Patel Brothers	Swad	KX21223	2.12
Greenbriar International, Inc. Chesapeake, VA	Dollar Tree Family Dollar	Supreme Tradition	Best By: 09/29/25 09E8 04/17/25 04E11 12/19/25 12C2 04/12/25 04ECB12 08/24/25 08A_ _ 04/21/25 04E5 04/21/25 04E5 2025-09-22 09E20 (Missouri)	3.37 2.26 2.03 2.34 3.14 3.12 2.88 3.13
El Chilar Apopka, FL	La Joya Morelense (Baltimore, MD)	El Chilar	F275EX1026 (Maryland) D300EX1024 (Maryland)	3.40 2.93

People who may have purchased either of the aforementioned ground cinnamon products are advised not to use them any longer. All affected containers or packs of cinnamon products affected by the alert should be discarded with immediate effect.

The FDA is also urging consumers not to buy the ground cinnamon products that are part of this alert any longer. All questions and doubts related to the affected products or queries about the potential risks can be shared with the federal agency at - 1-888-463-6332.