Federal health officials added more ground cinnamon brands to its health alert after detecting elevated levels of lead in the product.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in its latest update last week that HAETAE-brand and Roshni-brand ground cinnamon are joining a growing list of products that are considered unsafe due to elevated lead levels.
The FDA has continued to update its list of recalled cinnamon brands, now totaling 16, since issuing its original health alert in July. In its latest update on Oct. 10, the FDA said it continues to analyze cinnamon and review sample results from state partners that have been testing ground cinnamon at retail for elevated lead levels.
SOME POPULAR PROTEIN POWDERS CONTAMINATED WITH UNSAFE AMOUNTS OF LEAD, STUDY REVEALS
The agency said it will continue to update its public health alert as necessary if additional products are found to contain unsafe levels of lead.
The FDA is advising consumers to throw away any of the cinnamon products listed in the health alert.
STUDY OF LEAD LEVELS IN MAJOR CINNAMON BRANDS SHOWS ‘TROUBLING’ RESULTS
For the products listed, the FDA has recommended that the firms voluntarily recall their respective products, except for the HAETAE-brand cinnamon. The FDA said it wasn’t able to reach distributor Haitai Inc. USA to share its findings and recommend that the company initiate a recall.
GROUND CINNAMON RECALL EXPANDED FOLLOWING DISCOVERY OF ‘ELEVATED LEVELS OF LEAD’
The FDA concluded during its assessment that consuming any of the products listed could contribute to elevated levels of lead in the blood. It also warned being exposed to elevated levels of lead could contribute to adverse health effects, particularly for those that may already have elevated blood lead levels from other exposures to lead.
The potential for adverse health effects from consuming food contaminated with lead varies depending on the level of lead in the food, as well as length, amount and frequency of exposure. Exposures to different sources of lead and someone’s age are also factors.
Those who are younger “are particularly vulnerable to the potential harmful effects from lead exposure” because of their smaller body sizes and rapid metabolism and growth, the FDA said. High levels of exposure to lead in utero, infancy and early childhood specifically can lead to neurological effects such as learning disabilities, behavior difficulties and lowered IQ, federal health officials continued.
Last year, hundreds of lead poisoning cases were traced to recalled applesauce products, underscoring the serious risks associated with contaminated food.
WanaBana LLC initiated a recall of its WanaBana, Schnucks or Weis-brand apple cinnamon pouches – manufactured by Ecuador-based Austrofood – for elevated lead levels last fall after four children in North Carolina had “elevated blood lead levels, indicating potential acute lead toxicity,” according to federal health officials.
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