Cinnamon Surveillance Testing Finds Elevated Lead Levels

A FDA investigation into acute lead exposure in children, resulting from apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches, found that cinnamon used in the product was contaminated with lead chromate. Lead chromate has a history of being used as an economically motivated adulterant to increase the weight and enhance the color of spices to gain a better price in the market. FDA’s leading hypothesis is that economically motivated adulteration is likely the reason lead chromate was added to cinnamon in this instance. As a result, FDA began a targeted survey of ground cinnamon products from discount retail stores to analyze them for lead and chromium presence.

Since the targeted survey began, the FDA has found cinnamon from six distributors to contain elevated lead levels ranging from 2.03 to 3.40 parts per million (ppm). These levels are far lower than the levels of lead between 2,270 ppm to 5,110 ppm found in the cinnamon associated with the contaminated apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches. However, they are higher than action levels outlined in FDA draft guidance on action levels for lead in food intended for babies and young children:

• 10 parts per billion (ppb) for fruits, vegetables (excluding single-ingredient root vegetables), mixtures (including grain and meat-based mixtures), yogurts, custards/puddings, and single ingredient meats;
• 20 ppb for root vegetables (single ingredient); and
• 20 ppb for dry infant cereals.

These levels are not legally enforceable, but they do represent FDA’s current thinking on the topic. As such they recommended recalls of the six distributor’s ground cinnamon because it could end up being used in many foods young children consume. Thus far, five distributors have complied with the recall.

Lead chromate is added to spices as an economic adulterant to increase weight or improve coloring of the product. For example, lead chromate has been added to turmeric roots during processing to enhance the turmeric spice’s yellow color and gain a better market price. A recall of turmeric in NY occurred in 2017 when elevated levels of lead (1090 ppm) and chromium (259 ppm) were detected. However, lead and chromium are elements that occur naturally in the environment and are often present at some level in spices. A Canadian surveillance study of 131 spice samples from 2018 - 2019 and 132 spice samples from 2019 - 2021 found average lead levels of 0.57 ppm and 0.31 ppm respectively. Only two samples of ginger (0.76% of all samples) were potentially adulterated with lead chromate.

FDA continues to test colored spices offered for sale in the U.S. as part of their toxic elements monitoring program and stated that they and industry share a common goal of ensuring the safety of food.