Edhat Staff
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released an advisory and issued a recall for six brands of cinnamon due to potential lead contamination. La Fiesta, Marcum, MK, Swad, Supreme Tradition, and El Chilar brands of cinnamon are the subject of this recall, which primarily affects products sold in discount stores. The affected cinnamon brands have been found to contain between 2.03 and 3.4 parts per million of lead.
Although no illnesses have been linked to the consumption of these products, the FDA has strongly recommended voluntary recalls for the affected cinnamon brands. However, the manufacturer MTCI, the distributor of MK cinnamon, has yet to respond to the FDA’s correspondence regarding the recall.
Consumers are advised to discard the impacted cinnamon products, which include the following:
- La Fiesta brand, lot number 25033, sold at La Superior Supermercados.
- Marcum brand, best by dates Oct. 16, 2025, and April 6, 2025, sold at Save A Lot.
- MK brand, no lot number provided.
- Swad brand, lot number KX21223, sold at Patel Brothers.
- Supreme Tradition brand, best by dates including Sep. 29, 2025; April 17, 2025; Dec. 19, 2025; April 12, 2025; Aug. 24, 2025; April 21, 2025; and Sep. 22, 2025, sold at Dollar Tree and Family Dollar.
- El Chilar brand, lot numbers F275EX1026 and D300EX1024, sold at La Joya Morelense in Baltimore.
The FDA has emphasized that the lead levels detected in the listed ground cinnamon products are significantly lower than the levels found in recalled apple sauce pouches from earlier this year. However, prolonged use of the impacted cinnamon products could potentially be unsafe.
Long-term exposure to high levels of lead, particularly in children, can result in developmental delays, damage to the brain and nervous system, behavioral and learning difficulties, and hearing and speech problems. While adults can experience similar impacts, it typically requires higher levels of lead exposure, as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
This latest recall for cinnamon products follows a previous recall initiated by the FDA in October 2023. At that time, several brands of cinnamon-flavored applesauce pouches, including WanaBana, Weis, and Schnucks, were recalled due to potential lead contamination. The FDA has been investigating the possibility of intentional contamination in these products.
The agency has received reports from health departments in 44 states, documenting 468 confirmed, probable, or suspected cases of individuals with elevated blood lead levels. The FDA has traced the lead contamination in the apple sauce pouches to Carlos Aguilera, a cinnamon processing company in Ecuador that is no longer in operation. Ecuadorian officials have also confirmed that unprocessed cinnamon sticks imported from Sri Lanka did not contain lead.
As the recall for the affected cinnamon brands progresses, consumers are urged to remain vigilant and check for updates from the FDA regarding other potentially contaminated products. It is essential to prioritize the safety and well-being of individuals, particularly children, who may be more susceptible to the adverse effects of lead exposure.
Allowing or creating products that are not safe to use can constitute product liability, which is an area of law that holds manufacturers, distributors, and sellers responsible for injuries or damages caused by defective or unreasonably dangerous products. some advices of these types of cases can be requested on ConsumerShield.
