Ground Cinnamon Recalled Due to Elevated Lead Levels

First your deli meats were recalled, and now it’s a spice cabinet staple. According to a recent announcement from the Food & Drug Administration, several brands of ground cinnamon are currently being voluntarily recalled because of elevated levels of lead. Due to the presence of excess lead, the FDA notes that these products may be unsafe to consume.

As noted by the FDA, this recall impacts several retailers across multiple states, including California, Connecticut, Maryland, Missouri, New York, and Virginia.

Per the announcement, the following brands and lots of ground cinnamon are subject to this 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)

The FDA is advising consumers not to buy these specific products, and to stop using and throw away any of these cinnamon items they may have at home. Since these products also have a long shelf life, consumers are being urged to check their pantries. Still, no illnesses or adverse events have been reported to date in association with these products.

This issue was discovered through product testing by state programs, and has since been confirmed by the FDA.

In addition to this recall, the FDA has previously recalled ground cinnamon on July 25 and March 6 of this year. For a list of the earlier recalled products, click here and here.

Per the FDA, most people have no obvious immediate symptoms of lead exposure. However, prolonged exposure to cinnamon products with elevated lead levels may be unsafe. Long-term exposure (months to years) to elevated levels of lead could contribute to adverse health effects. For adults, chronic lead exposure is associated with kidney dysfunction, hypertension, and neuro-cognitive effects. Children exposed to lead for an extended period of time may experience learning disorders, developmental defects, and other long-term health problems.

If you are concerned that you or anyone in your family may have symptoms of lead toxicity, the FDA recommends you contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible.

This latest ground cinnamon recall from the FDA comes after the agency opted to expand lead and chromium testing to include additional cinnamon products following the October 2023 recall of cinnamon apple puree and applesauce products due to elevated lead levels linked to the cinnamon in those items.