Over 10 Cinnamon Brands Recalled Ahead of Holiday Season Due to Potential Unsafe Lead Levels

The FDA says even small amounts of lead consumed over time can elevate blood lead levels

With the holiday baking season quickly approaching, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers to check their spice cabinets.

Over 10 ground cinnamon products sold under different brand names have been recalled nationwide after testing showed they may contain higher-than-safe levels of lead.

The latest announcement, issued Friday, Sept. 12, expands on earlier alerts from March 2024 and July 2025. The FDA says the newly recalled products were distributed by several retailers across the U.S. and could be sitting in home kitchens, which may affect seasonal holiday gatherings.

Brands newly flagged include Jiva Organic, Super Brand and Asli, among others. The products tested at retail locations in multiple states, including California, Arkansas, Virginia and Connecticut, showed lead concentrations ranging between roughly 2.03 to 7.68 parts per million (ppm).

According to the agency, lead is not naturally found in cinnamon, but can enter food through contaminated soil, water or during processing. Health experts stress that even small amounts of lead exposure can be dangerous over time, particularly for children and pregnant people, where it may impact neurologic development.

“Long-term exposure (months to years) to elevated levels of lead in the diet could contribute to adverse health effects,” the FDA noted in its updated guidance. “Consumers should avoid using the affected products and discard them immediately.”

The alert lists more than a dozen brands and packaging sizes, many of which were sold in discount stores, local groceries and through online retailers. In addition to urging people to throw away recalled items, the FDA is advising anyone who suspects they may have been exposed to speak with a healthcare provider about testing for lead.

The affected products are listed below:

• Jiva Organics Organic Cinnamon Powder is sold at Taj Supermarket. Lot code: AF-CINP/822 with a best-before date of July 2025
• Super Brand Cinnamon Powder is sold at the Asian Supermarket in Little Rock, Ark.
• Asli Fine Foods Cinnamon Powder sold at A & Y Global Market in Columbia, Missouri, with lot code DDDLUS
• El Chilar Ground Cinnamon is sold at El Torito Market in Maryland with the lot codes D181EX0624 and E054EX0225
• Marcum & Supreme Tradition Ground Cinnamon sold at Save-A-Lot Food Stores in Missouri and Virginia with best-by dates of Dec. 5, 2025
• SWAD Cinnamon Powder sold at Patel Brothers in Connecticut, containing the batch number KX28223 and a best-before date of October 2026
• Supreme Tradition Ground Cinnamon sold at Dollar Tree in California with the lot code 10A11 and best by date of Oct. 6, 2025
• Compania Indillor Orientale Ground Cinnamon sold at Eurogrocery in Connecticut with the lot code L1803231
• ALB Flavor Ground Cinnamon sold at Eurogrocery in Connecticut with the lot code LA02 and best-before date of March 8, 2025
• Shahzada Cinnamon Powder is sold at Premium Supermarket in New York
• Spice Class Ground Cinnamon is sold at Fish World in New York with a best-by date of December 2026
• La Frontera Ground Cinnamon is sold at Frutas Y Abarrotes Mexico in New York

The FDA notes that the agency will continue its “activities at import to prevent unsafe cinnamon from reaching consumers in the U.S.,” which will include adding firms and products to import alerts when appropriate.

This is not the first time spices have been flagged for contamination. Earlier this year, cinnamon was also at the center of recalls after lead was linked to contaminated applesauce pouches. Regulators are now taking additional steps to monitor imported spices more closely.

A full list of recalled cinnamon products, along with photos of packaging and additional health information, is available on the FDA’s website.

Melinda