Lead in cinnamon brands Badia, EGN, Paras powder

Cinnamon is a popular ingredient in baked goods and other savory dishes, but consumers should be more cautious about which brand of the spice they buy, as a recent report found high levels of lead in some companies' products.

Consumer Reports, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers evaluate the safety and performance of goods, found high levels of lead in cinnamon powder and multi-spice powders from 12 brands – including Paras, EGN, Mimi's Products, Bowl & Basket, Rani Brand, Zara Foods, Three Rivers, Yu Yee Brand, BaiLiFeng, Spicy King, Badia and Deep.

The cinnamon powders and spice blends tested by Consumer Reports had lead levels above 1 ppm, the level used by New York State to label products that should be recalled, according to the nonprofit. Consumer Reports food safety experts advised people to “avoid these products.”