Lead found in cinnamon and spice blend powers
By: Jonathan Limehouse
USA Today
..... Consumer Reports a nonprofit that helps consumers assess the safety and performance go goods, found high levels of lead in cinnamon power and multi-spice powers from 12 brands, including Paras, EGN, Mimi's Products. Bowl & Basket, Rani Brand, Zara Foods, Three Rivers, Yu Yee Brand, BaiLiFeng, Spicy King, Badia and Deep.
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The ground powders and spice blends tested by Consumer Reports showed lead levels above 1 part per million (ppm), a level New York sate uses to indicate products hat should be recalled, according to the nonprofit.
..... A quarter teaspoon of the mentioned cinnamon products contain more lead that an individual should consume in an entire day, James Rogers, the director of food safety research and testing at Consumer Reports, said. "If you have one of those products, we think you should throw it away."
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Frequent lead exposure can cause immune system suppression, reproductive issues, kidney damage, mood disorder, cognitive issues and hypertension in adults, according to Mayo Clinic. In children, lead exposure can contribute to slower growth and development, behavioral issues, seizures and other physical symptoms, the medical center said.
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Paras cinnamon power had the most lead containing 3.52 ppm, according to the report. Below are the results of Consumer Reports' investigation on the other brands.
* EGN cinnamon powder (2.91 ppm)
* Mimi's Products ground cinnamon (2.03 ppm)
* Bowl & Basket ground cinnamon (1.82 ppm)
* Rani Brand ground cinnamon (1.39 ppm)
* Zara Foods cinnamon powder (1.27 ppm)
* Three Rivers cinnamon stick powder (1.26 ppm)
* Yu Yee Brand five spice powder (1.25 ppm)
* BaiLiFeng five spice powder (1.15 ppm)
* Spicy King five spices powder (1.05 ppm)
* Deep cinnamon powder (1.02 ppm)
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Following Consumer Reports' report, Paras and EGN told the nonprofit that they would stop selling their cinnamon power products and remove them from stores' shelves.
..... Deep and Yu Yee Brand told Consumer Reports that they "tested their product or relied on test from their suppler."
..... Mimi's Products relies on analytical reports provided by its vendors, which indicate that "no lead levels exceeding 1 part per million where found in our ground cinnamon," a spokesperson for NAC Foods, the manufacturer of Mini's Products, told USA Today.
..... Wakern Food corporation, the owner of Shoprite Bowl & Basket, told CNN that "the quality of our products is of the utmost importance and our cinnamon meets all safety and quality standards."
..... Badia Spices' ground cinnamon products comply with all federal and international laws, a spokesperson for the company told the outlet.
..... USA Today has contacted several other companies named in the report but has not receive a response.
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