NumelineLead in ground cinnamon: 21 brands on the FDA list since 2024, and only 14 recalls
Since July 2024, the FDA has kept a public list of ground cinnamon products with elevated levels of lead. Updated nine times, it now names 21 brands, the latest added on September 28, 2026. The FDA asked each company to recall its product. According to the FDA's own table, 7 of the 21 have no recall notice.
What the FDA list says
The FDA's alert, first published on July 30, 2024, tells consumers to stop using and throw away the listed products, and not to eat, sell or serve them. The products were found through testing by the FDA and by state laboratories, including those of Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Maryland, Missouri, Virginia and New York.
Lead levels range from 2.03 to 10.7 parts per million (ppm). The FDA points out that this is far below the levels found in 2023 in WanaBana cinnamon applesauce pouches (2,270 to 5,110 ppm), which were linked to lead poisoning in children. No illnesses have been reported for the cinnamon on this list. The concern, in the FDA's words, is that prolonged exposure "may be unsafe."
One detail on the FDA page is out of date: its summary still mentions "11 brands," the count from 2024. The table below it lists 21.
The 21 brands
From the FDA's table, most recent first. "No recall" means the FDA lists no recall notice from the company; the FDA still advises consumers to throw the product away.
| Brand | Where sold, per FDA | Recall |
|---|---|---|
| Lior Gourmet Spices | NY, NJ, PA, TX, FL, IL (lot GAP11304) | Yes |
| Lucky Foods | Per recall notice | Yes |
| Venzu Traders | Not yet known | No recall |
| DEVI | Apna Bazar, Washington | Yes |
| BaiLiFeng | Not yet known (10.7 ppm, the highest) | No recall |
| Roshni | Not yet known | No recall |
| HAETAE (HT) | Supermarkets nationwide | Yes |
| Durra | California, Michigan | Yes |
| Wise Wife | NJ, NY, FL, MD, MN, OK, OH | Yes |
| Jiva Organics | Taj Supermarket | No recall |
| Super Brand | Asian Supermarket, Little Rock, Arkansas | Yes |
| Asli | A&Y Global Market, Columbia, Missouri | Yes |
| El Chilar | El Torito Market | Yes |
| Marcum | Save-A-Lot | Yes |
| SWAD | Patel Brothers | No recall |
| Supreme Tradition | Dollar Tree | Yes |
| Compania Indillor Orientale | Eurogrocery | No recall |
| ALB Flavor | Eurogrocery | Yes |
| Shahzada | Premium Supermarket | Yes |
| Spice Class | Fish World | Yes |
| La Frontera | Not listed | No recall |
The FDA table also gives the lot codes and best-by dates for each product. Check it before throwing anything away: only the listed lots are concerned.
How many states?
Reports say the products were sold in "at least 14 states." Adding up the states named in the FDA table and the companies' recall notices, we count 15: Arkansas, California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington. One brand, HAETAE, was sold in supermarkets nationwide, and for several others the FDA does not yet know where they were sold. The real reach is likely wider than any state count.
A list that keeps growing
This is the FDA's second cinnamon list. A first alert, in March 2024, named six brands sold at stores including Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, Save A Lot, Patel Brothers, SF Supermarket and La Superior; four of them (Marcum, Supreme Tradition, SWAD, El Chilar) appear again on the current list with other lots. Counting both alerts, 23 different brands of ground cinnamon have been flagged for lead since 2024.
The latest addition shows how long these products stay on shelves. Lior Gourmet Spices ground cinnamon, found by the Maryland Department of Health, was sold in six states from November 18, 2025 to September 7, 2026 before its recall on September 24, 2026.
Many of the brands on the list are sold in international and specialty grocery stores, and in discount chains. A jar of ground cinnamon can also last years in a cupboard, long after the recall has left the news.
Why lead matters, even at these levels
The FDA states that there is no known safe level of exposure to lead. According to the agency, eating these products over time could contribute to elevated lead levels in the blood, and high exposure in infancy and early childhood can lead to learning difficulties and a lower IQ. Cinnamon is common in foods made for children: oatmeal, applesauce, baked goods.
The FDA has not explained where the lead in these products comes from, and we do not speculate.
What to do
Check your spice cupboard for ground cinnamon from the 21 brands above, and compare the lot code and best-by date with the FDA table. Do not use a listed product; throw it away or return it to the store. If you are worried that a child has been exposed to lead, talk to a healthcare provider: a blood test measures lead levels.
Sources
- FDA — More Ground Cinnamon Products Added to FDA Public Health Alert Due to Presence of Elevated Levels of Lead (first published July 30, 2024; updated September 28, 2026): fda.gov
- FDA — FDA Alert Concerning Certain Cinnamon Products Due to Presence of Elevated Levels of Lead, March 6, 2024: fda.gov
- FDA — Galil Importing Corp Recalls Lior Cinnamon Ground Seasoning Due to Elevated Lead Levels, September 24, 2026: fda.gov
- FDA — Lead in Food and Foodwares: fda.gov
Information comes from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S. government works, public domain). The count of states and brands across both alerts is Numeline's analysis of the published FDA data. This article is independent consumer information; it is not affiliated with the FDA or with any company named, whose names are used for identification purposes only. It is not medical advice.
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