Lead can reach spices from polluted soil and processing equipment, and occasionally from deliberate colouring. The Bangladesh turmeric and 2023 US cinnamon cases show why regulators watch it closely.
The short answer¶
Most spices sold by mainstream retailers in the UK, EU and US contain lead only at very low levels, if at all detectable, and the amounts eaten are small. But lead has repeatedly been found at high levels in some spices, particularly those sold loose, bought abroad or brought home from family visits, and in a few cases it has been added on purpose. Because lead harms the developing brain even at low exposures, public health agencies take these findings seriously.
How lead gets into spices¶
- The environment. Plants take up lead from contaminated soil, and dust settles on crops drying in the open. Roots and rhizomes such as turmeric and ginger, and barks such as cinnamon, can carry more than seeds.
- Processing. Grinding equipment, old machinery and poor handling can add metal contamination.
- Deliberate adulteration. Lead chromate, a bright yellow-orange industrial pigment, has been used to improve the colour of turmeric, and red lead compounds have been reported in some chilli and paprika. This is fraud, and the most dangerous route because the levels involved can be very high. See spice-adulteration.
Turmeric in Bangladesh¶
Research published in 2019 by teams from Stanford University and the icddr,b research centre in Bangladesh linked raised blood lead levels in parts of Bangladesh to turmeric. Investigators found that some processors were dusting dried turmeric roots with lead chromate to give them the vivid yellow that buyers associated with quality. The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority responded with raids, fines, media campaigns and market testing. Follow-up research reported that the share of market turmeric containing detectable lead chromate fell dramatically within a couple of years, and that blood lead levels among workers at affected mills dropped. It is often cited as an example of a food safety problem being tackled quickly once identified.
Cinnamon in fruit pouches, 2023¶
In late 2023 the US Food and Drug Administration announced recalls of apple cinnamon fruit purée pouches sold under the WanaBana brand and some supermarket own brands, after children who had eaten them were found to have raised blood lead levels. Investigators traced the lead to the ground cinnamon used in the product, sourced from Ecuador; high levels of chromium were also found, suggesting lead chromate. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collected several hundred reports of affected children. In 2024 the FDA went on to test ground cinnamon on sale more widely and issued public alerts naming several low-cost brands with elevated lead, advising people to throw them away.
⚠️ If you are worried about exposure
Lead poisoning often has no obvious symptoms at first, especially in children. If you think a child has eaten a product named in a recall, or you have concerns about lead exposure, speak to your GP or health visitor, or contact NHS 111. A blood test is the only way to know.
What regulators do¶
Lead in food is regulated in most countries through maximum levels for particular foods and through routine surveillance. In Great Britain and the EU, maximum levels for contaminants are set in law and imported consignments can be checked at the border; importers are expected to test their supply. The US has historically relied more on case-by-case enforcement for spices, and the 2023 cinnamon case prompted calls for firmer limits. Codex Alimentarius, the international food standards body, has also been working on maximum levels for lead in spices.
Consumer and campaigning groups periodically test retail spices and publish results. These are useful snapshots but vary in method, so it is worth reading how a study was done before drawing firm conclusions about a particular brand.
Practical steps¶
- Buy from established retailers that are subject to food law and routine checks. This matters most for turmeric, chilli powder and cinnamon.
- Be cautious with unlabelled or loose spices carried in luggage from abroad, particularly if they are unusually brightly coloured. Some traditional remedies and cosmetics, such as certain kohl or surma products, have also been sources of lead and are a separate issue.
- Check recall notices. The Food Standards Agency in the UK and the FDA in the US publish recalls and alerts online.
- Do not rely on home tests. Colour and water tests cannot detect lead at the levels that matter.
- Keep perspective. The vast majority of spices bought from reputable sources are not a meaningful lead risk, and a varied diet spreads exposure from any single food.
See also spice-contamination, buying-spices and curcumin.