Lead Contamination in Cinnamon Applesauce Pouches May Have Been Intentional
More than 100 children have been harmed as the FDA continues to investigate
Update, Dec. 18, 2023: The Food and Drug Administration said its tests of lead levels in the cinnamon used in the recalled products showed exceptionally high contamination—between 2,270 and 5,510 parts per million (ppm). The FDA noted that, as a point of comparison, the international standard-setting body, Codex, is currently considering 2.5 ppm as a maximum cutoff for lead in bark spices, including cinnamon. At the same time, WanaBana USA and Austrofood announced that they are forming a joint program that will refund up to $150 for out-of-pocket costs to visit a healthcare provider and for a lead blood test for anyone who consumed their recalled products. To obtain the refund, keep records of all your charges, and email support@wanabanafruits.com. (A toll-free phone number will be available in the coming weeks, the companies said.)
The extraordinary high levels of lead found in cinnamon applesauce pouches from WanaBana, Schnucks, and Weis may be the result of intentional contamination, the Food and Drug Administration confirmed to Consumer Reports. The news was first reported by Politico.
The FDA previously identified the cinnamon in the product as the likely source of the heavy metal.
In a statement to CR, an FDA spokesperson said: “The FDA can confirm that one of the theories the agency is exploring is the potential that the cinnamon contamination occurred as a possible result of economically motivated adulteration. Additional investigation needs to occur before FDA reaches any conclusions.”
Adulteration in this case refers to the practice of bulking up a spice with fillers or colorants to make the product appear to be of better quality or to weigh more.
Jim Jones, the FDA deputy commissioner for human foods, told the news site: “We’re still in the midst of our investigation. But so far all of the signals we’re getting lead to an intentional act on the part of someone in the supply chain, and we’re trying to sort of figure that out.”
The 12 Cinnamon Products You Should Never Use
Consumer Reports found high lead levels in a third of the cinnamon powders and spice mixtures we tested. Here are the ones that pose the most and least risk.
Should You Test Your Child for Lead?
The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that parents have their children tested for lead if they have eaten WanaBana, Schnucks, or Weis cinnamon applesauce pouches.
There is no level of lead that is known to be safe in children, according to the CDC. And although children with lead toxicity do not necessarily present with symptoms, it can affect brain development, and cause learning problems and problems paying attention.
In general, children should be tested for lead if they are at high risk, such as being low-income or if they live or spend time in a house built in 1978 or earlier. In those homes, lead can be present in the interior paint or dust, or in the water pipes, or even in the soil in the surrounding yard from exterior lead-based paint or nearby industrial waste. The test consists of a blood draw at your doctor’s office. See the CDC’s website to contact your state’s poison prevention program for more details on getting a free or low-cost test.
