About a third of ground cinnamon products tested by Consumer Reports magazine had high levels of lead, the magazine reported Thursday.

As little as a quarter teaspoon of some spices with cinnamon had more lead than should be consumed in a whole day.

What You Need To Know

  • About a third of ground cinnamon products tested by Consumer Reports magazine had high levels of lead, the magazine reported Thursday

  • As little as a quarter teaspoon of some spices with cinnamon had more lead than should be consumed in a whole day

  • For its study, Consumer Reports food safety scientists tested for lead in 36 ground cinnamon products and spice blends containing cinnamon purchased from 17 stores in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and online

  • The FDA has issued three public health alerts about unsafe levels of lead in cinnamon so far this year

“Even small amounts of lead pose a risk because over time it can accumulate in the body and remain there for years, seriously harming health,” Consumer Reports Director of Food Safety Research and Testing James Rogers said in a statement. 

Most people who are exposed to lead have no immediate or obvious symptoms. Lead poisoning happens when the heavy metal builds in the body over the course of months or years, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms, including abdominal pain and headaches, don’t normally appear until lead levels are substantially elevated. 

For its study, Consumer Reports food safety scientists tested for lead in 36 ground cinnamon products and spice blends containing cinnamon, the magazine said. The brands they tested were a mix of mainstream names and smaller brands in stores catering to international cuisines.

They purchased the spices from 17 stores in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and online. 

Of the 36 products tested for its study, 12 should be avoided because of their lead content, the magazine said.

The six brands that posed the lowest risk in the Consumer Reports tests were 365 Whole Foods Market Ground Cinnamon, 365 Whole Foods Market Organic Ground Cinnamon, Loisa Organic Cinnamon, Morton & Bassett San Francisco Organic Ground Cinnamon, Sadaf Cinnamon Powder and Sadaf Seven Spice Blend.

“These products demonstrate that it’s possible to produce cinnamon with no lead or extremely low levels,” Rogers said.

Eighteen other tested products were also deemed OK to use, including ground cinnamons from Penzeys, Trader Joe’s, Good & Gather, Morton & Bassett San Francisco, McCormick, Kirkland Signature and Simply Organic.

Consumer Reports said it was prompted to study lead in cinnamon after 500 children who had eaten apple puree pouches became sick with lead poisoning last year, prompting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to investigate.

The FDA has issued three public health alerts about unsafe levels of lead in cinnamon so far this year. The agency first began issuing health alerts about ground cinnamon in March, after it found six brands contained elevated lead levels that could be unsafe following prolonged exposure.

Because cinnamon has a long shelf life, the FDA recommends consumers check their homes for affected products and refrain from eating, selling or serving foods that used them.