SLR Food Distribution Inc. of Hicksville, New York, is recalling Wise Wife Brand Ground Cinnamon because it may contain elevated levels of lead. The company announced the voluntary recall on October 29, 2026, after a sample tested by The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station showed elevated lead. No illnesses have been reported so far.
This is the second ground cinnamon recall over lead in about five weeks. In September, Lior Cinnamon Ground Seasoning was recalled after testing in Maryland. The Wise Wife product was sold for more than nine months, and spices keep a long time, so a container could easily still be in your kitchen.
Recall details
- Product: Wise Wife Brand Ground Cinnamon, 110 g (3.88 oz), clear plastic container with a black screw-top cap
- UPC: 0688474302754, printed on the back label
- Best Before date: 4/25/2027
- Where it was sold: retail and grocery stores in Connecticut, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin
- When: distributed between September 8, 2025, and June 28, 2026
What to do if you have it
Don’t eat it. Throw it away, or return it to the store where you bought it for a full refund. Questions go to SLR Food Distribution Inc. at 1-516-437-3782, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern, or by email at [email protected].
Why lead in spices matters
The recall notice explains that “short-term exposure to very low levels of lead may not elicit any symptoms,” and that increased blood lead levels may be the only sign. The bigger concern is longer exposure. In the company’s words: “If a child is exposed to enough lead for a prolonged period of time, such as weeks to months, permanent damage to the central nervous system may occur. This can result in learning disorders, developmental defects, and other long-term health problems.”
Cinnamon is not a children’s product, but the FDA notes that “cinnamon is used in many foods young children consume.” The agency says “the very young are particularly vulnerable to the potential harmful effects from lead exposure.” The CDC is direct about it: “No safe blood lead level (BLL) in children has been identified.”
Lead in ground cinnamon has been a recurring problem since late 2023, when cinnamon in apple puree pouches was tied to lead poisoning in young children. Since then the FDA has warned consumers about several ground cinnamon brands, and state labs keep finding more. Both recent recalls started with testing by state agencies, not the companies.
How to lower your risk
- Check your spice cabinet for the UPC and Best Before date above, and against the FDA’s alert on cinnamon products with elevated lead.
- Don’t hold on to spices for years. If you can’t tell where a container came from or how old it is, replace it.
- If your child regularly ate food made with a recalled spice, ask your pediatrician about a blood lead test. Lead exposure often has no obvious symptoms.
Learn more about how lead affects health in our ingredient profile for lead, or check the ingredients in other products with our label checker.
