Lead in cinnamom

[Anonymous]

If I make my own ground cinnamon from cinnamon sticks, does that reduce the chance of lead contamination?

[Anonymous]

It's not likely to make much difference. It's the growing environment, not anything due to processing.

Lead-contaminated soil is a primary source of exposure, as cinnamon trees absorb lead through their roots.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/cinnamon-recall-lead-8607118

[Anonymous]

How much cinnamon do you consume??

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How much cinnamon do you consume??

I have kids and make homemade banana muffins for them weekly, so a lot and lead is a concern.

I thought the recent issues with lead in cinnamon were due to manufacturing or additives...

[Anonymous]

I bet it would reduce the likeliness of lead contamination.
Sometimes lead is added to spices to make them heavier and therefore more expensive. PT also can come from processing equipment.

But what kind of grinder do you have to grind cinnamon sticks? Would it make the blades really dull really fast?

[Anonymous]

There was an applesauce that came from Ecuador that had tainted cinnamon. As far as I know, it’s not in any cinnamon being distributed in the US. I buy from Penzeys

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There was an applesauce that came from Ecuador that had tainted cinnamon. As far as I know, it’s not in any cinnamon being distributed in the US. I buy from Penzeys

It is in cinnamon distributed in the US:

https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-public-health-alert-additional-ground-cinnamon-product-due-presence-elevated-levels-lead

https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-alert-concerning-certain-cinnamon-products-due-presence-elevated-levels-lead

https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/07/fda-issues-public-health-alert-for-ground-cinnamon-products-due-to-elevated-lead-levels/

[Anonymous]

Penzey’s says that they have tested all their spices and found no lead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I bet it would reduce the likeliness of lead contamination.
Sometimes lead is added to spices to make them heavier and therefore more expensive. PT also can come from processing equipment.

But what kind of grinder do you have to grind cinnamon sticks? Would it make the blades really dull really fast?

OP here - I used an old coffee bean grinder that we don't use anymore, then put it through a mesh sieve. I was out of cinnamon at the time when I did this, but then when I saw yet another FDA alert on lead in a cinnamon product, it made me think maybe I should always do it this way. I know the recent applesauce cinnamon pouches with lead were identified from increased lead readings in children and found to be due to some issue at the manufacturing plant, it was not just naturally occurring lead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bet it would reduce the likeliness of lead contamination.
Sometimes lead is added to spices to make them heavier and therefore more expensive. PT also can come from processing equipment.

But what kind of grinder do you have to grind cinnamon sticks? Would it make the blades really dull really fast?

OP here - I used an old coffee bean grinder that we don't use anymore, then put it through a mesh sieve. I was out of cinnamon at the time when I did this, but then when I saw yet another FDA alert on lead in a cinnamon product, it made me think maybe I should always do it this way. I know the recent applesauce cinnamon pouches with lead were identified from increased lead readings in children and found to be due to some issue at the manufacturing plant, it was not just naturally occurring lead.

DP and per the post above, FDA just issued another alert on a ground cinnamon product.

https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/07/fda-issues-public-health-alert-for-ground-cinnamon-products-due-to-elevated-lead-levels/

[Anonymous]

I would make sure to buy from a reputable source like Penzeys. Also my understanding is that cinnamon sticks are lower quality than ground cinnamon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was an applesauce that came from Ecuador that had tainted cinnamon. As far as I know, it’s not in any cinnamon being distributed in the US. I buy from Penzeys

It is in cinnamon distributed in the US:

https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-public-health-alert-additional-ground-cinnamon-product-due-presence-elevated-levels-lead

https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-alert-concerning-certain-cinnamon-products-due-presence-elevated-levels-lead

https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/07/fda-issues-public-health-alert-for-ground-cinnamon-products-due-to-elevated-lead-levels/

Ok, so don’t buy cinnamon marketed at Latin Americans or Indians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was an applesauce that came from Ecuador that had tainted cinnamon. As far as I know, it’s not in any cinnamon being distributed in the US. I buy from Penzeys

It is in cinnamon distributed in the US:

https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-public-health-alert-additional-ground-cinnamon-product-due-presence-elevated-levels-lead

https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-alert-concerning-certain-cinnamon-products-due-presence-elevated-levels-lead

https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/07/fda-issues-public-health-alert-for-ground-cinnamon-products-due-to-elevated-lead-levels/

Ok, so don’t buy cinnamon marketed at Latin Americans or Indians.

Or any at the Dollar Store.