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Six products had the lowest lead results in Consumer Reports’ 2024 cinnamon investigation. Here is what that finding actually tells shoppers—and what it cannot guarantee.
The accurate takeaway: Consumer Reports did not declare six cinnamon brands universally safe for regular consumption. In its September 2024 investigation of 36 ground-cinnamon products and cinnamon-containing spice blends, it identified six lowest-risk choices because they had the lowest lead results in that tested group. A result from a 2024 product sample is useful comparative information—not a promise about every future package, lot, retailer listing, or serving pattern.
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That distinction matters because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says no safe level of lead exposure has been identified. Lead risk depends on concentration, how much and how often a person consumes the food, their age, and exposure from other sources. Young children are particularly vulnerable.
The six lowest-lead results in Consumer Reports’ 2024 test
Consumer Reports tested 36 products: ground cinnamon powders and spice blends that contain cinnamon. Twelve of the 36 measured above 1 part per million (ppm) of lead. The following six had the lowest reported lead results in the investigation.
#1 Best Overall
- 2.5-ounces of ground Happy Belly Cinnamon
- Aromatic, with a sweet, deep, warm, delicate flavor. Fine ground so it blends effortlessly
- Pairs well with cumin, ginger, nutmeg, thyme, turmeric
- Used in sweet and savory dishes like cookies or cakes, french toast, oatmeal, fruit, and in tea. Also good on chicken, lamb, pork, sweet potatoes or in soups
- Kosher certified
| Exact product tested | Reported lead result | What the result means |
|---|---|---|
| 365 Whole Foods Market Organic Ground Cinnamon | 0.02 ppm | Lowest-risk product in Consumer Reports’ 2024 test |
| Loisa Organic Cinnamon | 0.04 ppm | Lowest-risk product in Consumer Reports’ 2024 test |
| Morton & Bassett San Francisco 100% Organic Ground Cinnamon | 0.04 ppm | Lowest-risk product in Consumer Reports’ 2024 test |
| Sadaf Cinnamon Powder | 0.04 ppm | Lowest-risk product in Consumer Reports’ 2024 test |
| 365 Whole Foods Market Ground Cinnamon | 0.12 ppm | Lowest-risk product in Consumer Reports’ 2024 test |
| Sadaf Seven Spice blend | 0.15 ppm | Lowest-risk cinnamon-containing blend in Consumer Reports’ 2024 test |
The numbers above are from the 2024 investigation; contemporaneous reporting of Consumer Reports’ results table also documented those measurements. The Sadaf Seven Spice item is a spice blend, not plain ground cinnamon.
What “lowest risk” does—and does not—mean
For a household that uses cinnamon frequently, choosing one of these exact products was the lower-lead option among the products Consumer Reports sampled at that time. It does not support calling any product “lead-free,” “FDA-approved,” “certified safe for daily use,” or safe in every package now on a shelf.
Rank #2
- 2.08 ounces; Glass bottle
- Ceylon cinnamon is buff-colored and mild in flavor, compared to the more intense cassia cinnamon
- Certfied Organic; Kosher
- Simply Organic is proud to be a 2019 Whole Planet Foundation $100,000 Fund Member donating f unds to support microentrepr eneurs, pr imarily women, internat iona lly and domes tic ally to al leviate global poverty.
- Simply Organic is committed to supporting organic and sustainable farming communities., A Brand of Frontier Co-op, responsible to people and planet
- It is product-specific. The finding applies to the named product, not automatically to every cinnamon product from the same company.
- It is time- and lot-limited. Spices are agricultural products that can vary by source, processing, and lot. A 2024 test result cannot clear untested future lots.
- It is comparative, not a federal certification. Consumer Reports used 1 ppm as a notable benchmark in its reporting. That is not the same as a universal U.S. federal maximum for all cinnamon.
- Units matter. One ppm equals 1,000 parts per billion (ppb). Do not compare ppm and ppb as though they were the same number.
For most shoppers, the practical value is straightforward: if you are selecting ground cinnamon based on this investigation, use the exact product name and regard the result as a dated comparison—not a blanket health assurance.
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Current-safety check: Before relying on a 2024 test, review the FDA’s current ground-cinnamon lead alert. FDA continues retail and import testing, and its list can change. Match the exact product, lot code, and best-by information on your package to the information in the alert.
Rank #3
- Deep, sweet, warm flavor and rich mahogany color
- Versatile spice for sweet and savory dishes
- Aged up to 15 years for rich flavor
- Premium quality for pure, superior flavor; never made with added fillers
- Non GMO
FDA instructs consumers not to buy, eat, sell, or serve the specific elevated-lead products named in its alert; discard a product if it matches the listing. As displayed on the FDA page accessed August 10, 2026 (page update dated December 10, 2025), none of the six Consumer Reports lowest-risk products above was named. That absence does not mean FDA has cleared them, that they contain no lead, or that every lot is safe.
FDA has said it had no evidence at the time of its cinnamon guidance that other pantry cinnamon products posed safety concerns, while also noting that it would update its recommendations if its assessment changed. For a product that matches an FDA alert, or if there is concern about exposure, contact a healthcare professional. This article cannot diagnose lead exposure or determine whether testing is appropriate for an individual.
Rank #4
- This ground cinnamon spice brings deep, sweet, warm flavor and rich mahogany color to breakfast cereal and snack foods
- Versatile spice for sweet and savory dishes, from baked goods to Christmas cookies
- Aged up to 15 years for rich flavor in holiday cookies and other baked goods
- Pure flavor complements chocolate and coffee drinks; never made with added fillers
- Non GMO spice for sweets, everyday baking and cooking
Why cinnamon drew scrutiny—and what this test was not about
Cinnamon received heightened attention after the recalled cinnamon-applesauce outbreak. That was a separate contamination event involving cinnamon used in applesauce, not evidence that these six Consumer Reports products caused an outbreak or were connected to it. CDC reported 566 cases of high blood lead levels across 44 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico following consumption of recalled cinnamon-containing applesauce. See CDC’s 2025 outbreak report for that event’s investigation.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Keeping those facts separate prevents two mistakes: treating a low 2024 cinnamon result as a permanent all-clear, and treating an applesauce outbreak as proof that unrelated retail cinnamon products are contaminated.
Best Value
- 15-ounces of Happy Belly Ground Cinnamon
- Aromatic, with a sweet, deep, warm, delicate flavor. Fine ground so it blends effortlessly
- Pairs well with cumin, ginger, nutmeg, thyme, turmeric
- Used in sweet and savory dishes like cookies or cakes, french toast, oatmeal, fruit, and in tea. Also good on chicken, lamb, pork, sweet potatoes or in soups
- Kosher certified
A sensible shopping approach for frequent cinnamon users
- Use the six-product table as a historical, product-specific comparison from Consumer Reports’ 2024 test.
- When possible, buy the exact product name—not merely the same brand name.
- Check FDA’s live alert and compare the package’s identifying details with the listed products.
- Do not use an old news list of “brands to avoid” as a substitute for FDA’s current alert, recalls, and lot information.
- If a product is listed by FDA, follow FDA’s discard guidance; if exposure is a concern, seek advice from a healthcare professional.
For routine cooking, the most defensible wording is also the simplest: these were Consumer Reports’ six lowest-risk choices for frequent cinnamon users in one 2024 investigation. They were not six universally safe cinnamon brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Consumer Reports say these are the only safe cinnamon brands?
No. Consumer Reports identified the six as the lowest-risk choices in its September 2024 test of 36 cinnamon powders and cinnamon-containing blends. The test was not a universal or permanent safety certification.
If a product is not on FDA’s alert, is it lead-free?
Not necessarily. FDA’s current alert page identifies specific products with elevated lead and can change as testing continues. Compare your product’s name, lot code, and best-by information with the live FDA listing.
Was every item on the list ground cinnamon?
No. The Sadaf Seven Spice product was a cinnamon-containing spice blend. It should not be described as plain cinnamon powder.
The Bottom Line
Consumer Reports’ 2024 results can help shoppers compare specific cinnamon products, but only FDA’s current alert can identify products it is actively warning consumers not to use.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
