El Chilar expanded its recall of ground cinnamon with high levels of lead and again suggested suppliers are mixing the poisonous metal into the spice.
The latest recall is for 1,524 bags weighing 1.25 ounces for lots D-300 EX1024 and F272 EX1026, Apopka, Florida-based El Chilar said Wednesday.
There have been no illnesses reported, El Chilar said, but lead exposure can result in long-term damage to the body.
Months to years of consuming lead can cause memory problems, muscle and joint pain and high blood pressure, among other issues. Lead is especially dangerous for children even in shorter time spans because of their fast growth, causing issues such as developmental delays, learning difficulties, hearing loss and seizures
The expanded recall adds to growing worries about lead in cinnamon and other products.
Fears rose about lead in food after fruit pouches and apple sauce full of lead-tainted cinnamon were recalled in late 2023. There were 519 cases in 44 states of lead poisoning linked to the food as of March 22, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Since then, 12 cinnamon distributors have had to recall products that tested for unsafe levels of lead.
The likely reasons lead keeps showing up in in cinnamon are unsafe food production, contaminated soil and suppliers mixing lead in to boost its color and weight, food-safety experts told ConsumerAffairs.
State health officials and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are still investigating and testing cinnamon.
What to do
People who bought the El Chilar cinnamon from lots D-300 EX1024 and F272 EX1026 should stop using it and return it to the place of purchase for a refund.