Consumer Reports reported on Thursday the levels of lead it found in 36 ground cinnamon products, prompting a series of shocking headlines. The test is particularly unnerving given that it closely follows the tragic poisoning of at least 519 American children, who were exposed to extremely high levels of lead from intentionally contaminated cinnamon in applesauce snack bags.
With that horrific event in mind, parents are probably primed to be alarmed by other lead findings in cinnamon. So, how alarming were the levels Consumer Reports found? And should people strictly adhere to the limits the organization recommends? By my calculations, not very, and probably not. It’s hardly an alarming report.
Similar to the outlet’s chocolate tests before it, the lead concentrations found in cinnamon were largely within standard ranges. Overall, the report is more of a reminder that trace amounts of heavy metals are present in a variety of common foods. And such watchdog tests can play a crucial role in keeping consumers safe, especially with underfunded and understaffed regulators.
Before I get into the details, let me be upfront about my conflict of interest: I love cinnamon as much as I love chocolate—which is to say, a lot. I can’t imagine fall or the holidays without cinnamon-heavy treats. And if you think cinnamon isn’t a verb, you’re wrong (at least in my book). Still, my love of this tree bark spice could certainly be compromised by my healthy aversion to neurotoxic things, especially with a small child at home who eats my baked goods. So I dove in and did the math, and I’m happy to show you my work.
Regulated concentrations
So what did Consumer Reports (CR of here) find? The company collected three samples of each of 36 products from supermarkets, specialty/international food stores, and online retailers. They then sent them to a commercial lab for testing and reported the average lead concentrations in parts per million (ppm), which is equal to milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg).
CR evaluated the results based on a 1 ppm threshold, which is the concentration at which New York State will issue a recall for a spice (at least they have currently proposed lowering it). It’s important to note that New York, even at the current 1 ppm threshold, is an outlier. As CR notes, New York is the only state with such a threshold. The Food and Drug Administration does not have a clear cutoff, but recent warnings from the agency have all addressed products with lead concentrations above 2 ppm, not 1 ppm. The FDA also notes that the international food standards body, the Codex Alimentarius Commission, sets the limit for bark spices at 2.5 ppm. Further, the European Union has set the maximum allowable lead concentration for bark spices at 2 ppm, under regulations set in 2021 (PDF).
Despite the unusually low threshold, CR highlighted 12 products—mostly unusual brands—that wouldn’t make it in the Big Apple. Of those products, only three exceeded the 2 ppm threshold that would have drawn the attention of the FDA and European Union regulators. The two brands behind the two highest readings (Paras at 3.52 ppm and EGN at 2.91 ppm) notified CR that they would voluntarily recall their products. The other product above 2 ppm was Mimi’s Products cinnamon, which averaged 2.03 ppm. CR data shows that only one of the three samples exceeded 2 ppm (with readings of 1.97 ppm, 2.16 ppm, and 1.97 ppm).
That said, concentration thresholds for the purposes of regulatory recalls are one thing. Other things, probably much more relevant to consumers, are how much cinnamon people actually eat and what the maximum safe amount of lead is. So, what are they?
