Last Halloween, the FDA flagged a worrying discovery: High levels of lead were found in applesauce pouches meant for young kids. Parents were alarmed, because the heavy metal can cause irreversible damage to babies and young children. Within a month of the Halloween warning, the recall had widened and dozens of illnesses were reported in kids age 4 and younger.
That was just the beginning: This year, the FDA issued three more public health alerts over lead in ground cinnamon, naming more than a dozen brands. It’s a startling shift, as the FDA's archives show no product recalls had been linked to lead and cinnamon for several years. These recent alerts have prompted big questions for consumers: How and why did lead get into the cinnamon? Is it common? What can be done to prevent it from happening again? Here are some answers.
Reports of more than 500 cases of elevated lead levels State and local health departments have reported 519 cases of elevated blood lead levels linked to the pouches , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, with 481 of those cases classified as confirmed or probable; lead exposure from other sources is suspected in the rest. The cases were reported in all but six states (Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Nevada and Wyoming), along with Washington, D.C.
, and Puerto Rico, according to the CDC . The applesauce pouches in l ast fall's recall were sold in the U.S.
under three brand names: WanaBana (sold on Amazon and other websites, and at Fa.
