More cinnamon products are being added to a nationwide recall over fears they are contaminated with high levels of a toxic metal.
The FDA today added Asli brand ground cinnamon to the list, saying the product contained ‘elevated levels of lead’ — which is linked to cancer and low IQ.
It is the 10th cinnamon product to have been recalled in the past year for containing too much lead, which can get into the spice from soil or factory contamination.
Cinammon recalls started in October when officials detected high levels of lead in cinnamon applesauce pouches, with the list gradually growing since.
The FDA today added Asli brand ground cinnamon to the list, saying the product contained ‘elevated levels of lead’ — which is linked to cancer and low IQ
On Tuesday, El Servidor Corp and Gutierrez brand cinnamon pouches were added to the recall. And earlier this month, ‘Canela Molida’ Ground Cinnamon was also recalled.
The Asli cinnamon was distributed around Colombia, Missouri via international grocery store A&Y Global Market.
Tests show each pouch contains about 2.32 parts per million (ppm) of lead.
The FDA does not have a limit for lead levels in foods, but says there are no regulations authorizing its use as a color additive or food additive.
The American Spice Trade Association says lead levels in spices should be below 2ppm.
There have been no illnesses reported associated with the latest contaminated spice pouches, officials say.
It is unclear exactly why so many cinnamon products contain traces of lead, but the FDA previously said it was investigating whether the substance was added intentionally for financial gain.
In previous cases, cinnamon pouches have had red brick, red lead salt, lead oxide and lead chromate — which mirror the spice’s red color — added to boost their color and, as a result, their value.
Once consumed, lead can travel throughout the entire body via the blood and take up camp in soft tissues like the kidney, liver or lungs, damaging those organs.
The severity of your response to lead depends on your age, body weight and the amount of lead you’re exposed to. However, officials have warned there is no safe level of lead exposure.
In higher doses, or with frequent exposure, it has been linked to behavioral issues, growth problems and learning difficulties in children, hundreds of whom have been sickened in the past year.
The October applesauce recall was in part prompted by 69 cases of illnesses potentially linked to the products, affecting children under six years old across 28 states.
Lead had been used commonly in construction because it was inexpensive, durable and easily moldable – making it a popular material for machines, plumbing systems and new construction. It was also a popular additive to paint, pesticides and even dishware in WWII America.
With how widespread lead used to be in every day materials, by the 1970s, nearly nine in 10 American children had high levels of lead in their system.
But this has now shrunk to closer to one in 100 amid concerns over contamination.
The toxic element is still used today to power batteries but it’s been removed from many environments that would contaminate food or water – and widespread awareness about its effects have made parents more vigilant about exposing their kids to the product.
