Ground cinnamon sold in U.S. discount stores is contaminated with high levels of lead and should be discarded. The U.S.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said cinnamon sold by stores including the Dollar Tree and Family Dollar contains lead at levels that could be unsafe for people, particularly children, with prolonged exposure to the spice. The agency urged suppliers to recall the products voluntarily.

Cinnamon products included in the agency’s safety alert include the La Fiesta brand sold by La Superior and SuperMercados; Marcum brand sold by Save A Lot stores; MK brands sold by SF Supermarket; Swad brand sold by Patel Brothers; El Chilar brand sold by La Joya Morelense; and Supreme Tradition brand sold by Dollar Tree and Family Dollar stores.

    • Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      131·
      10 months ago

      My in-laws got us a gift box from Penzey’s a while back, I’ve been using their sandwich sprinkle seasoning on grilled cheese sandwiches. Shit’s good. 👍

      • jordanlund@lemmy.world
        6·
        10 months ago

        They have this thing called “Pie Spice” that is amazing on hot buttered popcorn.

        There’s another one called “Mural of Flavor” that makes creamy soups taste like Chicken in a Biscuit crackers. LOL.

    • EssentialCoffee@midwest.socialEnglish
      12·
      10 months ago

      People who are already buying their spices at the dollar store aren’t going to be buying Penzeys, as good as their spices are.

    • Fredselfish@lemmy.world
      91·
      10 months ago

      Why are they getting a chance to recall “volunteer”?

      If this is not good for human consumption then it should be removed period.

      Our is this because this product will be bought mainly by poor people and fuck them?

      • jordanlund@lemmy.world
        91·
        10 months ago

        The FDA, at this point, doesn’t have the personnel or funding to force the recall.

        I would imagine I could find lead contaminated cinnamon at any number of stores around here.

  • Franklin@lemmy.world
    602·
    10 months ago

    Fuck all dollar stores and their predatory business models that lead to worse outcomes for the least fortunate.

    A perfect microcosm for the failures of capitalism

    • morphballganon@lemmy.world
      96·
      10 months ago

      I’m glad stores like that exist overall. Contamination issues can happen at any grocery store. I was just reading about something being recalled from Trader Joe’s.

          • NateNate60@lemmy.world
            27·
            10 months ago

            That’s not the point. The point is that of the sections in a regular grocery store, dried stuff is the most profitable while fresh produce is less profitable. Dollar stores usually don’t offer any or offer a very limited selection of fresh produce. They only offer dried stuff which is more profitable.

            What this means is that a regular grocery store can’t compete in areas where dollar stores already dominate, and when dollar stores move into an area, it can have the effect of stealing the grocery store’s most profitable business. Dried food sales subsidise fresh food. As a result, it doesn’t make sense for the grocery store to also be there and many choose to close up shop and leave.

            This leaves residents in the area without a place to buy fresh produce. That’s called a food desert.

            Nobody should go to a grocery store thinking “I’m going to buy 10 boxes of macaroni and cheese, three cans of refried beans, and some instant rice”. People go because they want to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, bread, and other “actual food” products. But if they have no choice, they’ll subside on dried or instant junk. That has many long-term negative health effects that will end up costing us as a community.

            It’s not about access to cheap food. It’s about access to good food.

  • Wogi@lemmy.world
    47·
    10 months ago

    Chances of that product being pulled from dollar stores, even during a mandatory recall, is practically 0.

    The employees at these stores hardly have time to unbox product, let alone get it on the shelves, once it’s there the only way it’s coming off is when customers pull it.

  • Tramort@programming.dev
    363·
    10 months ago

    The agency urged suppliers to recall the products voluntarily.

    Fuck that, FDA. Why is this optional!?

    • CaptPretentious@lemmy.world
      14·
      10 months ago

      Once the FDA has determined that the criteria for a mandatory recall have been met, the FDA must first provide the responsible party (as defined in section 417(a)(1) of the FD&C Act) with an opportunity to voluntarily cease distribution and recall the article of food. The FDA will notify the responsible party of this opportunity in writing using an expeditious method of delivery. If the responsible party refuses or does not voluntarily cease distribution and recall the article of food within the time and manner prescribed by the FDA, if so prescribed, the FDA may order the responsible party to cease distributing the article of food, order the responsible party to give notice to certain other persons to cease distributing the article of food, and give the responsible party an opportunity to request an informal hearing2 to be held not later than 2 days after the issuance of the order. After these steps are completed, the FDA may order a recall under section 423(d) of the FD&C Act if it is determined that the removal of the article from commerce is necessary. Only the FDA Commissioner has the authority to order a recall under section 423(d). If necessary, recall orders under section 423(d) shall be vacated by the Commissioner. If the FDA orders a recall under section 423 of the FD&C Act, the FDA will generally follow the process for termination of the recall in accordance with 21 C.F.R. 7.55.

      https://www.fda.gov/media/117429/download#:~:text=Section 423 of the FD%26C,the FD%26C Act [21 U.S.C.

      • girlfreddy@lemmy.caOP
        51·
        10 months ago

        Yeah, it is. The AP quoted the FDA …

        The agency is also recommending the voluntary recall of certain ground cinnamon products sold by a number of brands at six different retail chains that were found to contain elevated levels of lead. Source

    • mxcory@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      5·
      10 months ago

      Dollar Tree and Family Dollar are included but not Dollar General. DT and FD are owned by the same parent company if I remember correctly.

    • TimLovesTech (AuDHD)(he/him)@badatbeing.socialEnglish
      371·
      10 months ago

      My understanding from the apple sauce pouch issue that uncovered the source to be cinnamon, is that most of these spices are grown/processed outside the US, and $ is based on weight. So what is an easy way to tip the scales cheaply, lead. 😩

      EDIT - here is the FDA write up about it.

  • Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works
    13·
    10 months ago

    Just a plug for buying stick cinnamon. Look for ceylon cinnamon - not as spicy as the cassia variety that most ground cinnamons Are Made From. It smoother and more subtle. You can grind it in batches so it’s ready to go and will smell and taste so much better than this lead tainted pre ground crap.

    • ✺roguetrick✺@lemmy.world
      181·
      10 months ago

      I wouldn’t be surprised if the irrigation or the soil is the source of the lead, not the processing methods.

      Edit: someone else posted that it was traced to be lead chromate. That’s a color that you could paint whole sticks with to make it seem fresher but makes more sense to mix with granulated. Same color often adulterated tumeric

    • CaptPretentious@lemmy.world
      6·
      10 months ago

      So wait, I can just take cinnamon sticks and put them in a food processor? I love fresh ground coffee, so if it’s actually just that easy I’ll have to give it a try

  • GrymEdm@lemmy.world
    91·
    10 months ago

    Flint Brand Cinnamon Challenge - if you’re dumb enough to try to swallow a spoonful then the lead content isn’t going to change much.

  • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
    93·
    10 months ago

    Friendly reminder that lead is sweat sweet and that’s why its used as a cheap artificial sweetener.

    Edit: “eat” -> like in “sweet”. “let” -> like in “sweat”. English is a bullshit language.

  • Pavidus@lemmy.world
    96·
    10 months ago

    Well, I’m glad to see the FDA sent a sternly worded letter. That’ll stop 'em.

    • protist@mander.xyzEnglish
      101·
      10 months ago

      They issued a recall recommendation, which basically means all these products will be thrown away by distributors. Looks like the lead contamination was pretty miniscule compared to that applesauce recall from last year, I’m glad the FDA is staying on top of this and taking any amount of lead contamination seriously.

      • meat_popsicle@sh.itjust.works
        12·
        10 months ago

        which basically means all these products will be thrown away by distributors. boxed and resold in foreign countries like HIV tainted blood was.

        Why would they dispose of something that they can make money on? Just sicken those other people instead.

    • CaptPretentious@lemmy.world
      51·
      10 months ago

      I just responded to another person who basically asked the same thing. They basically ask nicely first, and then they don’t ask nicely the second time. As to why this way, legal reasons.