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Consumer Reports found elevated lead levels in a third of tested cinnamon powders and spice mixtures, with 12 out of 36 products measuring above 1 part per million (ppm).
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Paras Cinnamon Powder had the highest lead content at 3.52 ppm, followed by EGN Cinnamon Powder at 2.91 ppm and Mimi's Products Ground Cinnamon at 2.03 ppm.
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Bowl & Basket Ground Cinnamon contained 1.82 ppm of lead, whilst Rani Brand Ground Cinnamon had 1.39 ppm and Zara Foods Cinnamon Powder showed 1.27 ppm.
Three Rivers Cinnamon Stick Powder measured 1.26 ppm, Yu Yee Brand Five Spice Powder 1.25 ppm, BaiLiFeng Five Spice Powder 1.15 ppm, and Spicy King Five Spices Powder 1.05 ppm.
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Badia Cinnamon Powder (1.03 ppm) and Deep Cinnamon Powder (1.02 ppm) also exceeded the 1 ppm threshold, with Badia Spices stating that trace amounts of lead are found in nearly all food products grown worldwide.
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The American Spice Trade Association recommends a maximum of 2 ppm of lead in bark spices like cinnamon, whilst New York state's threshold for recall is 1 ppm.
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Some companies, including Deep and Yu Yee, claim to have tested their products or relied on supplier tests, whilst contact information for Three Rivers, BaiLiFeng, and Spicy King could not be found.
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Health officials warn that no amount of lead is safe, and whilst the harm from a single use of these spices may be small, damage could occur after prolonged exposure from various sources including natural, environmental, and manufacturing processes.
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Do you have any of these brands at your home?
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