Key takeaways
- In fall 2023, cinnamon applesauce pouches were recalled after they were linked to high blood lead levels in children. FDA testing later found up to 5,110 parts per million (ppm) of lead in the cinnamon. The CDC counted 566 cases.
- Since March 2024, the FDA has told consumers to throw away more than 20 ground cinnamon products, many sold at discount and international stores, with 2 to 20 ppm of lead.
- In Consumer Reports’ 2024 test, 12 of 36 cinnamon products had more than 1 ppm of lead. Ten of the 12 were less familiar brands sold mainly in small international markets.
- You can’t see, smell or taste lead. Check the FDA’s list, buy from established brands and stores, and be careful with cinnamon bought abroad or from informal sellers.
The 2023 applesauce pouch recall
In fall 2023, cinnamon applesauce pouches sold for children were recalled after kids who ate them were found with high blood lead levels. The FDA traced the problem to the cinnamon. Samples of it had 5,110 and 2,270 ppm of lead. The higher one was more than 2,000 times the 2.5 ppm limit then being considered for bark spices.[1]
5,110 ppm
lead in the recalled pouches’ cinnamon
566
cases of lead poisoning in 44 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico
55%
of the cases were children under age 2
The cinnamon also had high levels of chromium. The FDA confirmed both came from lead chromate. Its leading hypothesis is that someone added it on purpose to make money, which the FDA calls economically motivated adulteration. Ecuador’s food regulator found no lead contamination in the unground cinnamon sticks, imported from Sri Lanka, and identified a processor in Ecuador as the likely source.[1]
The CDC’s final count was 566 confirmed, probable and suspected cases. More than half were in children under 2. Among the confirmed and probable cases, the median of each person’s highest blood lead test was 7.2 micrograms per deciliter, about twice the CDC’s reference value of 3.5. That value flags children who need follow-up; it isn’t a safe level.[2][15]
The FDA’s ground cinnamon alerts
After the recall, the FDA surveyed ground cinnamon sold at discount stores. In March 2024 it warned consumers about six products with 2.03 to 3.4 ppm of lead.[3] Those levels are far below the pouches’ cinnamon, but the FDA said eating them over months or years could still harm health, especially for young children.[3][4]
The FDA has kept adding products since, many found by FDA or state testing at retail. In July 2024 it flagged one product at 20 ppm, which it called unsafe for all babies and young children.[16] Its running list now has 21 more entries, with lead from 2.03 to 10.7 ppm. The latest was added in September 2026.[4]
| Lead level | Where the number comes from | Lead per teaspoon |
|---|---|---|
| 1 ppm | New York’s recall level for spices | 2.6 µg |
| 2.03 ppm | Lowest level in the FDA’s alerts | 5.3 µg |
| 10.7 ppm | Highest level in the FDA’s running list | 28 µg |
| 20 ppm | Highest level in any FDA cinnamon alert | 52 µg |
| 5,110 ppm | Cinnamon in the recalled pouches | about 13,300 µg |
How much you actually eat matters too. But lead adds up from every food, and the FDA says there’s no known safe level of exposure.[10]
What Consumer Reports found
In 2024, Consumer Reports (CR) tested 36 ground cinnamon products and spice blends with cinnamon, bought at 17 stores in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York, and online.[5]
- 12 of the 36 had more than 1 ppm of lead, the level that triggers a recall in New York.
- 10 of those 12 were relatively unfamiliar brands sold mainly in small markets that specialize in international foods.
- For those 12, CR said just a quarter teaspoon had more lead than its daily level of concern: 0.5 micrograms, California’s Prop 65 level. That’s a strict benchmark for warning labels, not a line between safe and unsafe.[5][17]
CR’s article names the products it tested. It suggests sticking with mainstream brands and not relying on labels like “organic” or on where the cinnamon comes from.[5]
Why there’s lead in cinnamon
Lead is in the environment from both nature and past pollution, so traces can get into many crops and foods.[10] High levels in spices are a different problem, and fraud is one cause. Lead chromate in the 2023 pouches is the clearest example.[1]
Fraud in cinnamon goes beyond lead. In a 2025 European Commission study of 104 cinnamon samples, 9.6% had more lead than the EU limit of 2 mg/kg. About 9% of the samples labeled Ceylon were partly or fully cassia, a cheaper kind of cinnamon.[8]
Is there a limit for lead in cinnamon?
Not in U.S. federal law. Where it hasn’t set a limit, the FDA judges toxic elements in food case by case.[6] It can stop shipments at the border: its import alert for heavy metals lists ground cinnamon and cassia from more than a dozen companies.[6]
Lead limits for cinnamon, parts per million (ppm)
- New York recall level1.0
- European Union maximum2.0
- Codex international maximum2.5
New York is tightening its spice limits. From January 2028, its recall level drops to 0.6 ppm for seven spices, including turmeric and nutmeg. Cinnamon isn’t one of them yet; the state says it’s still testing cinnamon and ginger.[9]
How to buy safer cinnamon
- Check the FDA’s alert pages against the cinnamon in your cupboard, and throw away any product on them.[3][16][4]
- Buy established brands from established stores. Most of the high results in CR’s test were less familiar brands sold in small international markets, and the FDA’s first alert came from a survey of discount stores.[5][3]
- Be careful with cinnamon from abroad. The CDC says lead has been found in some imported spices, and sellers may not know whether a product contains it. CR also advises caution with cinnamon brought home from travel.[11][5]
- Don’t judge by look, smell or label. Lead can’t be seen or tasted, and lab testing is the only way to know.[11] “Organic” doesn’t tell you about lead.[5]
- Ask brands for test results. A brand that tests each lot for lead can tell you the number. Our guide to reading a COA explains how to read one.
Questions people ask
- Which cinnamon brands have been recalled for lead?
- The FDA keeps public health alert pages that list each ground cinnamon product found with elevated lead, with brand names and lot or date codes where available. Many were sold at discount stores and small international grocers. If you have one, throw it away.
- What brand of cinnamon is lead-free?
- No test can show that a spice has zero lead. In Consumer Reports’ 2024 test, 24 of 36 products had 1 part per million of lead or less, and CR suggests sticking with mainstream brands. A brand that publishes lead results for each lot tells you the most.
- How do I know if my cinnamon has lead?
- You can’t tell by looking at it, smelling it or tasting it. Only lab testing shows how much lead a spice has. Check your cinnamon against the FDA’s alert list, and if you have a listed product, throw it away.
- Does Ceylon cinnamon have less lead than cassia?
- A Ceylon label doesn’t guarantee lower lead. In a 2025 EU study, some samples of both kinds were over the EU lead limit, 4.5% of Ceylon and 11.8% of cassia. Ceylon is much lower in coumarin, a natural compound that can cause liver damage in sensitive people.
- Why is there lead in cinnamon?
- Lead can get into cinnamon from the environment, from contamination during processing, or from deliberate adulteration. A high test result alone doesn’t show which. In the 2023 applesauce pouch recall, the FDA’s leading hypothesis is that lead chromate was added to the cinnamon on purpose for profit.
Sources
- [1]U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Investigation of elevated lead and chromium levels: Cinnamon applesauce pouches. November 2023, updated August 2024.
- [2]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Investigation of lead and chromium exposure after consumption of contaminated cinnamon-containing applesauce (MMWR). April 2025.
- [3]U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA alert concerning certain cinnamon products due to presence of elevated levels of lead. March 2024.
- [4]U.S. Food and Drug Administration. More ground cinnamon products added to FDA public health alert due to presence of elevated levels of lead. July 2024, updated September 2026.
- [5]Consumer Reports. High lead levels in cinnamon powders and spice mixtures. September 2024.
- [6]U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Import Alert 99-42: Foods with heavy metal (toxic element) contamination. accessed October 2026.
- [7]Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 48th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission adopts new standards. November 2025.
- [8]European Commission Joint Research Centre. Commission finds fraud and potential safety issues in cinnamon on the EU market. September 2025.
- [9]New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. New York State announces new action levels for heavy metals in spices. June 2026.
- [10]U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Lead in food and foodwares. accessed October 2026.
- [11]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About lead in foods, cosmetics, and medicines. accessed October 2026.
- [12]U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central: Spices, cinnamon, ground. accessed October 2026.
- [13]German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). FAQ on coumarin in cinnamon and other foods. 2012.
- [14]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lead poisoning symptoms and complications. accessed October 2026.
- [15]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updates to the blood lead reference value. accessed October 2026.
- [16]U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA public health alert: Additional ground cinnamon product due to presence of elevated levels of lead. July 2024.
- [17]California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Lead and lead compounds (Proposition 65). accessed October 2026.
- [18]European Commission Joint Research Centre. Detection of fraudulent practices in commercially available cinnamon. 2025.
This article is for general information. It is not medical advice and does not replace a doctor, dietitian or pediatrician. Purus gives estimates for general information; it is not a medical device and does not diagnose, treat or prevent any condition.
The Purus email
Keep up with what’s in your food.
Food and contaminant data, twice a week, from Chris at Purus. Unsubscribe anytime.