FDA warning about leveled lead levels in some ground cinnamon sold at discount stores
This combination of photos provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 shows cinnamon products sold in U.S. discount stores which contain elevated levels of lead. Top row from left are distributed by La Fiesta Food Products of La Miranda, Calif.; Moran Foods, LLC of Saint Ann, Mo., and MTCI of Santa Fe Springs, Calif. Bottom row from left are from Raja Foods LLC of Skokie, Ill.; Greenbriar International, Inc. of Chesapeake, Va., and El Chilar of Apopka, Fla. (FDA via AP)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has put out an alert about elevated lead levels in some ground cinnamon that may be unsafe if someone has prolonged exposure.
The alert is for six distributors of ground cinnamon, including one that sells their product at Dollar Tree and Family Dollar stores.
The FDA is recommending that people who already have these ground cinnamon products stop using them and throw them away in addition to not purchasing them.
So far, no illnesses have been reported in connection to these ground cinnamon products, the FDA says.
The recall of cinnamon apple puree and applesauce products for elevated lead levels is what prompted the FDA to analyze ground cinnamon from discount retail stores for lead and chromium.
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| Distributor & Location | Retailers | Brand Name | Lots/Codes | Lead Concentration (ppm) |
| La Fiesta Food Products La Miranda, CA | La Superior SuperMercados | La Fiesta | 25033 | 2.73 |
| Moran Foods, LCC Saint Anne, MO | Save A Lot | Marcum | Best By: 10/16/25 10DB 04/06/25 0400B1 | 3.20 2.70 |
| MTCI Santa Fe Spring, CA | SF Supermarket | MK | No codes | 2.99 |
| Raja Foods LCC Skokie, IL | Patel Brothers | Swad | KX21223 | 2.12 |
| Green Briar 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) | El Chilar | F275EX1026 (Maryland) D300EX1024 (Maryland) | 3.40 2.93 |
Images of each ground cinnamon product are below. Images provided by the FDA.
