Ground Cinnamon Sold Nationwide Has Just Been Recalled

After an investigation into cinnamon sold at discount retailers, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a notice urging six distributors across five states to recall their cinnamon products. The notice, sent out on March 6, 2024, revealed that testing of 75 samples of 100% ground cinnamon showed concerning levels of lead.

Distributors in California, Missouri, Illinois, Virginia, and Florida are involved, with some products distributed nationwide. These products were sold to discount retailers including Save A Lot, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, La Superior SuperMercados, SF Supermarket, Patel Brothers, and La Joya Morelense.

The recalled cinnamon products include:

From the FDA’s March 6 alert:

• Brand Name: La Fiesta
• Distributor: La Fiesta Food Products – La Miranda, CA
• Retailer: La Superior SuperMercados
• Lot Code or Identifiers: 25033
• Lead Concentration (ppm): 2.73

• Brand Name: Marcum
• Distributor: Moran Foods, LLC – Saint Ann, MO
• Retailer: Save A Lot
• Lot Code or Identifiers: 
  • 1.5oz Marcum Ground Cinnamon – Best By:10/16/25 10DB
  • 1.5oz Marcum Ground Cinnamon – Best By: 04/06/25 0400B1
• Lead Concentration (ppm): 3.20/2.70
• Area: Nationwide

• Brand Name: MK
• Distributor: MTCI Santa Fe Springs, CA
• Retailer: SF Supermarket
• Lot Code: No codes
• Lead Concentration (ppm): 2.99

• Brand Name: Swad
• Distributor: Raja Foods LLC- Skokie, IL
• Retailer: Patel Brothers
• Lot Code: KX21223
• Lead Concentration (ppm): 2.12

• Brand Name: Supreme Tradition
• Distributor:Greenbriar International, Inc. – Chesapeake, VA
• Retailer: Dollar Tree, Family Dollar
• Lots Codes and Identifiers: 
  • 2.25oz Supreme Tradition Ground Cinnamon – 09/29/25 09E8
  • 2.25oz Supreme Tradition Ground Cinnamon – 04/17/25 04E11
  • 2.25oz Supreme Tradition Ground Cinnamon – 12/19/25 12C2
  • 2.25oz Supreme Tradition Ground Cinnamon – 04/12/25 04ECB12
  • 2.25oz Supreme Tradition Ground Cinnamon – 08/24/25 08A
  • 2.25oz Supreme Tradition Ground Cinnamon – 04/21/25 04E5
  • 2.25oz Supreme Tradition Ground Cinnamon – 09/22/2025 09E20
• Lead Concentration (ppm): Varies from 2.03 to 3.37

• Brand Name: El Chilar
• Distributor: El Chilar – Apopka, FL
• Retailer: La Joya Morelense (Baltimore, MD)
• Lot Code: 
  • F275EX1026 (Maryland)
  • D300EX1024 (Maryland)
• Lead Concentration (ppm): 3.4 & 2.93

The levels of lead in the affected products could pose dangers if people are exposed over time, as lead can accumulate in the body. Customers are urged to discard these products and check their cabinets.

The FDA’s investigation was prompted by the October 2023 recall of apple cinnamon fruit pouches, which sickened several children due to extremely high lead levels. The tainted cinnamon was traced back to a processing center in Ecuador. The agency stresses that the recalled product in that case was significantly higher than the ground cinnamon products tested.

The ground cinnamon recall includes products that have lead levels that range from 2.03 to 3.4 ppm while the apple cinnamon pouches had lead levels of 2,270 to 5,110 ppm. It’s reported no illnesses or harm have been caused by the recalled ground cinnamon products to date.

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A national leader’s message to the food industry 

Along with the official notice to customers, James J. Jones, the Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods at the FDA, sent a letter to cinnamon manufacturers, processors, distributors, and facility operators explaining the move to test and recall cinnamon. This initiative was part of the agency’s ongoing Toxic Elements monitoring program, which tests imported foods like spices for contaminants. However, Jones noted that it is “the responsibility of manufacturers, processors, distributors, and other facility operators to ensure the safety of the products that enter the U.S. market.”

“Today’s actions serve as a signal to industry that more needs to be done to prevent elevated levels of contaminants from entering our food supply,” he said. “Food growers, manufacturers, importers and retailers share a responsibility for ensuring the safety of the foods that reach store shelves. The levels of lead we found in some ground cinnamon products are too high and we must do better to protect those most vulnerable to the negative health outcomes of exposure to elevated levels of lead.” 

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