High levels of lead found in a dozen brands of spices

Sep 13

Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

Fall is here and that means pumpkin spiced everything, but there’s a new warning about some of the most popular seasonal spices. Consumer Reports found high levels of lead in cinnamon and other spice powders from 12 different brands: Paras, EGN, Mimi’s Products, Bowl & Basket, Rani Brand, Zara Foods, Three Rivers, Yu Yee Brand, BaiLiFeng, Spicy King, Badia and Deep.

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The ground cinnamon and multi-spice powders Consumer Reports tested showed lead levels above one part per million. In New York specifically, that’s the level where a product should be recalled – but, in general, these products should be avoided.

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The Food and Drug Administration does not have any limits on the amount of lead allowed in foods, except in certain cases, but it maintains there is no safe level. The agency said there is no way to completely prevent lead from entering the food supply, but companies have a responsibility to reduce levels by changing agriculture or manufacturing processes.

Consumer Reports said just a quarter teaspoon of the spices it tested contains more lead than anyone should ingest in a day.

Tags: Agriculture, FDA, Health, Health Care, Lead, Manufacturing, New York, Recall, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

FALL IS UPON US – AND THAT MEANS PUMPKIN SPICED EVERYTHING.

BUT – WE’VE GOT A WARNING ABOUT SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR SEASONAL SPICES.

CONSUMER REPORTS FOUND HIGH LEVELS OF LEAD IN CINNAMON AND OTHER SPICE POWDERS FROM 12 DIFFERENT BRANDS.

THE GROUND CINNAMON AND MULTI-SPICE POWDERS CONSUMER REPORTS TESTED SHOW LEAD LEVELS *ABOVE* ONE PART PER MILLION.

THEY SAY IN NEW YORK, SPECIFICALLY, THAT’S THE LEVEL WHERE A PRODUCT SHOULD BE RECALLED – BUT, IN GENERAL, THESE PRODUCTS SHOULD BE AVOIDED.

THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION DOES *NOT* HAVE ANY LIMITS ON THE AMOUNT OF LEAD ALLOWED IN FOODS – EXCEPT IN CERTAIN CASES – BUT THEY MAINTAIN THERE IS NO SAFE LEVEL.

THE AGENCY SAYS THERE IS *NO* WAY TO COMPLETELY PREVENT LEAD FROM ENTERING THE FOOD SUPPLY… BUT COMPANIES HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO REDUCE LEVELS BY CHANGING AGRICULTURE OR MANUFACTURING PROCESSES.

CONSUMER REPORTS SAYS JUST A QUARTER TEASPOON OF THE SPICES IT TESTED CONTAINS MORE LEAD THAN ANYONE SHOULD INGEST IN A DAY.