Dozens of common kitchen spices contain dangerous amounts of carcinogenic lead – and a teaspoon is enough to cause damage

At least a dozen brands of ground cinnamon contain dangerous amounts of toxic metals, an investigation has found.

Researchers at the consumer protection organization Consumer Reports tested 36 products containing ground cinnamon for lead, a toxic metal that, in large quantities, has been shown to cause developmental disorders in children, reproductive disorders and cancer.

The team found that 12 of the brands tested contained more than one part per million (PPM) of lead, enough to trigger a recall in New York, the only state that regulates heavy metals in spices.

Several other products contained detectable levels of lead, but just below that level. The researchers warned that as little as a quarter teaspoon of these products could have serious health consequences, especially in young children, as lead can damage brain development.

Dr. James Rogers, director of food safety research and testing at Consumer Reports, said: “If you have one of these products, we think you should throw it away.”

“Even small amounts of lead pose a risk because it can accumulate in the body over time and remain there for years, causing serious damage to health.”

Several of the products tested have already been recalled this year due to traces of lead, and the two biggest culprits announced they would remove the affected products from the shelves.

None of these items have been linked to any disease, but infant fruit pouches containing cinnamon made more than 500 children sick last year.

It is unclear why so many cinnamon products contain lead, but there are several theories.

Lead occurs naturally in the Earth's crust and could therefore be present in the soil in which spices are grown.

In addition, the FDA previously stated that it was investigating whether lead was intentionally added for financial reasons.

Karen Everstine, technical director of the food safety agency FoodchainID, said it was essentially a money-making scheme. “The intention is not to make people sick. Nobody wants that because they'll get caught,” she said. “They just want to make money.”

Alyssa Magnuson (left) told NBC she was “in disbelief and shocked” when her daughter Stevie's lead levels were more than 16 times the average for children. Meanwhile, doctors alerted Sarah Callahan, 39, of Maryland that her 18-month-old son Rudy was showing signs of speech delays.

Morgan Shurtleff of Oklahoma went for a routine blood test with her daughter, Cora Dibert (pictured here), when doctors found lead levels four times the legal limit. “It was the most horrible thing that ever happened to me,” Ms. Shurtleff told AP last year.

However, several American families fell into the trap after their children ate spoiled WanaBana fruit pouches, causing parents to fear for their children's future.

Sarah Callahan, 39, of Maryland, told NBC News that her son Rudy's one-year physical last year found lead levels in his blood at 19.8 micrograms per deciliter, more than five times the FDA limit.

Although Rudy's lead levels are decreasing and are currently at 5.7 micrograms, Ms. Callahan said she was concerned that Rudy may be experiencing additional side effects.

“Because of his lead poisoning, his development could stall or be delayed at any time,” she said. “It's always a worry, always a fear. But we try to live in the present and take one day at a time.”

And routine tests showed that Alyssa Magnuson's baby Stevie had 16 times the lead level in her blood. “I just couldn't imagine that lead could have gotten into her body,” she said.

And although Morgan Shurtleff's daughter Cora Dibert has not yet experienced any symptoms of lead poisoning from eating the fruit sacs, she is “quite concerned” about “irreversible effects.”

“It was the worst thing that ever happened to me,” Ms. Shurtleff told AP last year.

Consumer Reports researchers purchased 36 ground cinnamon products in 17 stores in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, as well as online marketplaces.

Products from international specialty stores appeared to have the highest levels. At the top of the list was Paras cinnamon powder with 3.5 ppm, three and a half times the limit set for the recall in New York.

Following closely behind were Cinnamon from EGN and Mimi's Products with 2.9 PPM and 2 PPM respectively.

Only one mainstream brand made it onto Consumer Reports' list of the most dangerous products: the powder from Florida-based company Badia Spices, which had 1.03 ppm, just above New York's limit.

Consumer Reports has also evaluated several more well-known brands that are “safe” to use in limited quantities.

Last year, WanaBana fruit pouches were recalled after 500 children became ill due to lead in the cinnamon used in the pouches.

For example, Amazon brands Happy Belly, Costco's Kirkland Signature and Walmart's Great Value each contain 0.8 PPM. Experts recommend taking no more than a quarter teaspoon per day.

Whole Foods' 365 Organic Cinnamon had the lowest lead content at 0.02 PPM, with experts recommending a daily maximum of 16 teaspoons per day. The store's non-organic version has 0.1 PPM, and the team recommends sticking with two teaspoons.

Powders from Sadaf and Morton & Bassett San Francisco followed closely behind 365 Whole Foods Organic, both containing 0.04 PPM. The researchers recommend consuming no more than six to seven teaspoons per day.

“These products demonstrate that it is possible to produce cinnamon without lead or in extremely small amounts,” said Dr. Rogers.

Although some brands pose a higher risk than others, both the FDA and CDC warn that there is no safe level of lead consumption.

Once ingested, lead can travel throughout the body via the blood and settle in soft tissues such as the kidneys, liver or lungs, causing damage to these organs.

Higher doses or frequent exposure may cause behavioral problems, growth problems, and learning difficulties in children.

In addition, it has been classified as a probable carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), meaning that high exposure is likely to cause cancer, but there is no conclusive evidence to support this yet.

Short-term exposure to lead can cause symptoms such as headaches, abdominal pain, vomiting and anemia.