WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a recall by ALB-USA Enterprises, Inc. of its ALB Flavor brand Ground Cinnamon due to potentially elevated levels of lead. The Bronx-based company distributed the product to retailers in New York, Connecticut, Michigan, and Massachusetts from December 15, 2022, to May 13, 2024.
The cinnamon powder is packaged in 100-gram plastic bags, encased in a brown carton featuring an image of cinnamon powder and sticks. The packaging includes a QR code for recipes, the UPC 5304000333362, a “Best Before” date of August 30, 2025, and the lot number LA02.
The recall follows an analysis by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES), which found elevated lead levels in the product. No illnesses have been reported so far.
Lead exposure can have serious health consequences, particularly for children. Long-term exposure can cause permanent damage to the central nervous system, leading to learning disorders and developmental issues. In adults, chronic exposure to lead is linked to kidney dysfunction, hypertension, and neurocognitive effects.
“Short-term exposures to very low levels of lead may not elicit any symptoms,” according to the FDA. However, they emphasize that “increased blood lead levels may be the only apparent sign of lead exposure.”
ALB-USA Enterprises has ceased the importation and distribution of the product while the FDA and the company investigate the cause of the contamination.
Consumers who purchased ALB Flavor Ground Cinnamon are urged not to use the product and to return it to the point of purchase for a full refund. For further information, customers can contact the company at 917-922-5627 or 929-431-8505, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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