



The season of all things cinnamon is upon us, and a new study likely has Americans checking their brands before adding a dash to their pumpkin spice. A Consumer Reports study found high levels of lead in one-third of the cinnamon powders and spice blends tested.
Food safety scientists from the nonprofit consumer organization tested 36 ground cinnamon products found at major grocery stores and smaller markets, including spice blends that contain cinnamon, such as garam masala and five-spice powder. They found 12 that measured above one part per million (ppm) of lead, with the highest levels detected in Paras cinnamon powder (3.52 ppm) and EGN cinnamon powder (2.91 ppm). Several of the brands that fared worst in the testing didn’t respond to a request for comment.