"The FDA issued public health alerts for around two dozen brands of cinnamon that contained elevated levels of lead in 2024 and 2025. One part per million of lead in dry cinnamon is enough to trigger a recall."
"Consumer Reports tested 126 spices from brands including McCormick, Trader Joe's, Great Value, and Whole Foods in 2021, discovering levels of heavy metals that were high enough to pose health risks to kids who ate them regularly."
"Data from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Texas Department of State Health Services shows that spices like turmeric, coriander, chili powder, cloves, and paprika are more likely to contain lead than other spices."
"In 2025, a test in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, found that 90% of spices tested contained elevated levels of lead, raising significant health concerns for consumers."
Product labeling is improving, but spices often lack adequate scrutiny for contaminants. Cinnamon has been linked to elevated lead levels, prompting FDA alerts and recalls. In 2023, over 500 children were poisoned from contaminated cinnamon in apple sauce. Consumer Reports found high levels of heavy metals in various spices, including thyme and oregano. Testing revealed that turmeric, coriander, chili powder, cloves, and paprika are also likely to contain lead, raising health concerns for regular consumers.
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