KENNEWICK — If you’ve gotten a good deal on ground cinnamon, you may want to check whether it is covered by national and Washington state alerts based on unsafe levels of lead.
The alerts cover some cinnamon sold at discount retailers Dollar Tree and Family Dollar and in stores catering to Hispanic shoppers. Some also are sold through online retailers.
The Washington Poison Center issued a public health alert on Monday, following a Food and Drug Administration alert earlier in the month.
Unsafe levels of lead were found in Supreme Tradition ground cinnamon sold at Dollar Tree and Family Dollar stores with multiple best by dates starting at 04/17/2025.
Other products with elevated levels of lead include La Fiesta brand ground cinnamon, Marcum ground cinnamon, MK cinnamon powder, Swad cinnamon powder and El Chilar ground cinnamon.
La Fiesta ground cinnamon is the most likely of those brands to have been sold in Washington.
The Poison Control Center recommended that Washington residents check their cupboards for the product, since it has a long shelf life.
Potentially contaminated products should be discarded, says the FDA.
The alert follows a recall in late 2023 of some fruit pouches of applesauce that may have contained cinnamon with excess levels of lead.
Negative health effects from lead, or “lead poisoning,” can occur when lead builds up in the body.
The amount of lead in the possibly contaminated ground cinnamon products is small, and so far no one has reported illness from the products, according to Washington Poison Center.
However, the lead in these products can cause harm if a person uses a product over months to years, which would accumulate lead in the body, according to the center. A product may also be harmful if it adds to lead from other sources in a person’s body.
Illnesses were reported linked to WanaBana cinnamon applesauce pouches, which have been sold to Family Dollar and Dollar Tree stores.
Lead poisoning in infants, and young children is especially concerning due to lead’s harmful effects on growth and development.
Most children with lead poisoning will not look or act sick. Instead, children with lead poisoning may experience slower growth, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and learning, and difficulty regulating their emotions, according to Washington Poison Center.
A blood test by a healthcare provider is the only way to know if a child has lead in their body.
For more information on the FDA ground cinnamon alert, go to bit.ly/GroundCinnamonAlert.
