Peter Aitken

By Peter Aitken

Politics Weekend Editor

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Another company has issued a recall for its cinnamon powder product after determining it may have a lead contamination.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now identified 16 manufacturers impacted by potential contamination after product testing between state programs and FDA confirmation.

The products identified in the recall have been found to have elevated levels of lead, and the FDA warns that exposure to these products may be unsafe, advising consumers to stop using and dispose of the impacted products.

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Newsweek reached out to the FDA by email on Saturday morning outside of normal business hours for comment.

Why It Matters

Lead is a toxic metal that can cause serious health issues, including neurological impacts, according to previous FDA advisories. The damage is more considerable for children, who can suffer permanent damage to the central nervous system, and learning and developmental problems can occur.

For adults, lead poisoning can cause abdominal pain, muscle weakness, kidney dysfunction, and hypertension. However, short-term exposure may not elicit symptoms, and elevated lead levels in the blood may be the only apparent sign of exposure.

The FDA in 2024 issued a series of recalls for cinnamon products with potential lead contamination, indicating an ongoing issue that health authorities only identify during routine testing and sampling of finished products.

Haitai, Inc's Haetae (HT) brand 8 oz cinnamon powder product, which may contain lead contaminants. (FDA/Haitai Inc)

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What To Know

Haitai, Inc. of Cerritos, California became the latest company to issue a recall for lead contamination, this time found in its Haetae (HT) brand Cinnamon powder, 8 oz, a product sold at various supermarkets nationwide.

The Haetae product is packaged in a square plastic bottle, and has UPC number 0 20914 81415 9. The product targeted by the recall has a Best by date of 02/09/25.

No injuries or illnesses have been reported as of the date of recall, October 17.

The FDA has speculated that the problem may have resulted from potentially unadulterated raw material from the supplier or natural lead concentration in cinnamon and its powder.

Consumers who have questions about the recall or potential issues are urged to contact Haitai Inc. at 1-323-890-0101 from 8:00 AM to 5:PM, Monday to Friday days, Pacific time zone.

How Many Companies Have Issued Cinnamon Product Recalls?

Haitai Inc. is the sixteenth company to issue a recall for a cinnamon product potentially impacted by lead as part of a wider recall effort.

The impacted companies, according to the FDA, include:

The companies are located across the country, based in states including California, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia.

What People Are Saying

The FDA in a statement on cinnamon powder recalls: “The FDA is continuing to analyze cinnamon and review sample results received from state partners who have been continuously sampling ground cinnamon at retail for elevated levels of lead. This public health alert will be updated as necessary if the FDA finds that additional products contain elevated levels of lead and that exposure to these products may be unsafe.”

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