Cinnamon Recalls Grow to More Brands Due to Lead Contamination

Federal health officials are once again urging consumers to check their spice racks for recalled cinnamon products. Following a recall of several brands in March, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday, July 30 added nine additional brands to its sweeping nationwide cinnamon recall.

The expanded recall includes ground cinnamon products from the brands Compania Indillor Orientale, ALB Flavor, Shahzada, Spice Class, and La Frontera, as well as new batches of brands previously recalled in March including El Chilar, Marcum, SWAD, and Supreme Tradition. The FDA said product testing discovered that these products, the full list of which can be found here, "contain elevated levels of lead" between 2.03 and 7.01 parts per million (ppm). A previous July 25 update added El Servidor brand ground cinnamon to the recall after testing determined it had 20 ppm of lead.

Per the FDA, consumption of the recalled products could contribute to elevated levels of lead in the blood, and long-term exposure can contribute to adverse health effects. Mayo Clinic notes that long-term exposure can lead to lead poisoning, the symptoms of which include joint and muscle pain, headache, abdominal pain, and mood disorders, among others. Infants, young children, and a developing fetus can face even more dangerous side effects by chronic exposure, including learning disabilities, developmental delays, and lower IQ scores.

The FDA said it is "continuing to analyze cinnamon and review sample results received from state partners who have been continuously sampling ground cinnamon at retail for elevated levels of lead."

Per the announcement, the following brands and lots of ground cinnamon are subject to the July 30 recall:

• El Chilar Canela Molida Lot codes: D181EX0624 (Maryland) and E054EX0225 (Maryland)
• Marcum Ground Cinnamon BEST BY: 12/05/25 12 D8 (Missouri) and BEST BY: 12/05/25 12 D11 (Virginia)
• SWAD Cinnamon Powder Batch No.: KX28223, Best Before October 2026 (Connecticut)
• Supreme Tradition Ground Cinnamon 10A11, BEST BY: 10/06/25 (California)
• Compania Indillor Orientale Exp and Lot: 08 2024 L1803231 (Connecticut)
• ALB Flavor Best Before: 30/08/2025 - LA02 (Connecticut)
• Shahzada no lot code (New York)
• Spice Class Best by: 12/2026 (New York)
• La Frontera no lot code (New York)

Consumers who have purchased any of the recalled ground cinnamon products are urged to stop using them. These products should not be consumed, sold, or served, and should instead be disposed of. The FDA noted that the recalled products have long shelf lives and encouraged consumers to check their homes.