Cinnamon sits near the front of almost every spice cabinet.
Most of us reach for it without a second thought, on oatmeal, in baking, or stirred into a warm drink.
That is why a government safety list has grown so quietly, and so steadily, this year.
The Food and Drug Administration updated its alert on November 4, 2026, adding a 21st ground cinnamon product found to contain elevated lead levels.
Also read: How much sun do you actually need each day for healthy vitamin D?
It is the agency's third public health alert on ground cinnamon this year.
The campaign traces back to the 2023 lead-tainted applesauce pouches that sickened hundreds of young children in the United States.
The newest item is Wise Wife brand ground cinnamon, distributed by SLR Food Distribution Inc. of Hicksville, New York.
It comes in 110-gram clear plastic containers with a black screw-top cap.
Also read: Scientists discover what happens to your cholesterol when you eat two apples a day
The jar carries UPC 0688474302754 and a best-before date of April 25, 2027.
It was sold between September 2025 and June 2026 in 14 states, from Connecticut and New York to Texas and Wisconsin.
The brands on the FDA list
Lead levels in the products on the current FDA list run from 2.03 to 7.68 parts per million.
That is far lower than the 2023 WanaBana applesauce pouches, which tested at 2,270 to 5,110 parts per million.
Also read: Scientists reveal how long light therapy takes to ease the winter blues
The products flagged so far include Lior Gourmet Spices, Galil, Lucky Foods, Venzu Traders, DEVI, BaiLiFeng, Roshni, HAETAE, Durra, Jiva Organics and Super Brand.
The list continues with Asli, El Chilar, Marcum, SWAD, Supreme Tradition, Compania Indillor Orientale, ALB Flavor, Shahzada, Spice Class, La Frontera and the newly added Wise Wife brand.
The FDA is advising consumers to throw away and not to buy these ground cinnamon products.
The list has expanded in steps through 2026. Welltica tracked an earlier round of additions when the alert covered 16 brands.
Also read: Cannabis is now involved in 84 percent of teen drug-related ER visits, study finds
How lead gets into cinnamon
Cinnamon is made from the bark of a tree and is often dried in the open air before being ground.
In some growing regions, drying yards and the soil around them hold residues of leaded gasoline, paint or nearby industry.
Those residues can carry into the spice.
In the 2023 incident, investigators pointed to deliberate adulteration with lead chromate, a bright yellow-orange powder that deepens the color of ground cinnamon and adds weight.
Also read: Workplace chemicals linked to 38% higher odds of multiple sclerosis, study finds
The FDA says prolonged exposure of months to years to elevated lead levels in the diet could contribute to adverse health effects.
The risk is higher in people who already have other sources of lead exposure.
Why young children are the greatest concern
Lead is most dangerous for babies, toddlers and pregnant women.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that there are no safe levels of lead in the blood.
Even low levels are linked to developmental delays, learning difficulties and behavioral problems.
Cinnamon turns up in cereals, oatmeal, applesauce and baked goods eaten by young children.
That is where the FDA has focused its sampling, through state labs in Arkansas, California, Maryland, Missouri, Connecticut, Virginia and New York.
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station flagged the Wise Wife product.
What to do if your cinnamon is on the list
Check the brand and UPC on your jar against the FDA's current list. If it matches, do not use it.
The agency wants consumers to discard the product rather than return it to the store.
If a child in your home has been eating one of the flagged products over a stretch of time, the FDA advises talking to your healthcare provider about testing for lead exposure.
This article is made and published by Ida-Marie Palm Varbæk, who may have used AI in the preparation.