FDA Takes Steps To Ensure Safety Of Cinnamon
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it is taking several additional steps to address concerns about elevated lead levels in cinnamon following the recent incident associated with certain cinnamon applesauce pouches that resulted in lead poisoning in young children.
The agency sent a letter to all cinnamon manufacturers, processors, distributors and facility operators in the U.S., reminding them of the requirement to implement controls to prevent contamination from potential chemical hazards in food, including ground cinnamon products.
The agency is also recommending the voluntary recall of certain ground cinnamon products sold by a number of brands at six different retail chains that were found to contain elevated levels of lead. Retailers and the products impact are below:
- La Superior SuperMercados, La Fiesta
- Save A Lot, Marcum
- SF Supermarket, MK
- Patel Brothers, Swad
- Dollar Tree & Family Dollar, Supreme Tradition
- La Joya Morelense, El Chilar
The FDA notified the distributors and manufacturers of products found to contain elevated levels of lead and recommended that the manufacturers voluntarily recall these products because prolonged exposure to them may be unsafe. The products were identified during an FDA-initiated sampling and testing effort to assess cinnamon sold across numerous retail stores.
No illnesses or adverse events have been reported to date related to the ground cinnamon products listed above, but the FDA is concerned that, because of the elevated lead levels in these products, continued and prolonged use of the products may be unsafe.
The FDA is advising consumers to throw away and not to buy the ground cinnamon products included in the recall.
"Today's actions serve as a signal to industry that more needs to be done to prevent elevated levels of contaminants from entering our food supply," said Jim Jones, deputy commissioner for Human Foods with the FDA. "Food growers, manufacturers, importers and retailers share a responsibility for ensuring the safety of the foods that reach store shelves. The levels of lead we found in some ground cinnamon products are too high and we must do better to protect those most vulnerable to the negative health outcomes of exposure to elevated levels of lead."
The cinnamon recall stems from a November recall of select applesauces sold under the private brands of Weis Markets and Schnucks respectively, and with WanaBana products sold at Amazon, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, and other retailers.