United States – Several companies announced this week that they would cease selling their cinnamon products after Consumer Reports discovered that the products contained lead.
Consumer Reports Uncovers Lead in Popular Spice Brands
The consumer nonprofit discovered lead as far as cinnamon powder and multi-spice powders from a dozen brands. Consumer Reports adopted a level of 1 ppm, which is used by New York state to conduct a recall of the products. Food safety experts from the nonprofit suggested to the people “to avoid those products.”
Some of the companies that provide spice are Paras, EGN, Mimi’s Products, Bowl & Basket, Rani Brand, Zara Foods, Three Rivers, Yu Yee Brand, BaiLiFeng, Spicy King, Badia and Deep. Consumers were left wondering how the products had increased lead content in the first place, as reported by USA News.
However, it is not the powders alone that have been identified to contain lead, a neurotoxin that has been proven to be dangerous at any concentration. There is more regulation on lead in food and other products that can be used on a daily basis since conventional sources in the form of paint, gasoline, and pipes have reduced significantly.
In what way does lead get into food?
Lead is a natural metal, however it gets into the food supply is complex. As the world economies become integrated, the U.S., although a producer of food items, sometimes sources food such as spices from other countries. They suggested that those items can be imported from countries lacking with strict laws on imports. Lead is used to make food products appealing, but industrialization contaminates water and the soils used to cultivate crops in the vicinity.
FDA didn’t comment on an email request for comment on the Consumer Reports findings.
Other food products with recent lead concerns
- The FDA said in March that tests on six items containing ground cinnamon revealed high amounts of lead.
- Due to greater amounts of lead and sodium, a second Consumer Reports study from April suggested that Lunchables be taken out of the National School Lunch Program. However, the manufacturer of the food disregarded the research, claiming their goods complied with the rules.
Why is lead dangerous?
Lead is specifically dangerous as children’s organisms can easily assimilate this metal through respiration, ingestion, or skin contact. The lead is absorbed even more by the children who have iron deficiencies, which is more prevalent among premature children or those born with low birth weight.
Lead poisoning is dangerous and may lead to seizures, coma, and even death in cases of high lead levels. How low-level toxins affect children: Even at low levels, it leads to behavior disorders, loss of IQ, and attention deficit disorders. Children can also have stunted growth and impaired hearing or speech.
The United States has seen a sharp reduction in children’s lead exposure as a result of regulations pertaining to lead limitations on items like paint, gasoline, and pipes. Furthermore, many commercial insurers and Medicaid also pay for blood tests to identify lead in children. In 1988, elevated blood lead levels were found in more than 25% of children aged 5 and under. The figure for 2014 was 2%, as reported by USA News.
Lead exposure is still more likely in some places. According to the U.S. CDC, this includes persons living in older housing, families experiencing hardship, immigrants and refugees, and children of color. However, the evolving nature of exposure—to food or other domestic objects, for example—confirms that everyone is vulnerable.