Galil Importing Recalls Lior Ground Cinnamon in 6 States Over Lead Contamination

Galil Importing Corp of Hauppauge, New York is recalling its Lior brand Cinnamon Ground Seasoning after a sample tested positive for elevated lead levels, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA posted the company's recall notice on Thursday, September 24.

The contamination was caught by the Maryland Department of Health, which analyzed a sample and found the lead levels, according to the FDA alert. Galil says it "immediately initiated a voluntary recall" once it got the results and is telling retailers to stop selling the product and hold remaining inventory.

What's affected and where

The recalled product is Lior Cinnamon Ground Seasoning, UPC 794711005484, sold in 90-gram transparent plastic containers in six-unit cases. The bad lot is GAP11304, printed on the side of the container under the ingredient line.

According to the FDA, the product was distributed to retail stores, grocery stores, delis and supermarkets in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Florida and Illinois. Distribution ran from November 18, 2025 through September 7, 2026, meaning the tainted cinnamon was on shelves for close to ten months before the recall went public.

No illnesses have been reported as of the FDA's Thursday alert, and that held true through Friday morning, LiveNow from FOX reported.

What lead exposure actually does

The FDA is blunt about the risk profile here. Short-term exposure to low levels of lead often produces no symptoms at all. The only sign might be an elevated blood lead level that shows up on a test, not something you'd notice day to day.

Chronic exposure poses the main concern, especially in children. "If a child is exposed to enough lead for a protracted period of time (e.g., weeks to months), permanent damage to the central nervous system may occur," the FDA says. "This can result in learning disorders, developmental defects, and other long-term health problems."

Lead poisoning in children doesn't announce itself with a stomachache. It shows up years later as a lower IQ score or a learning disability, and by then there's no fixing it.

What Galil is doing about it

Beyond the voluntary pull, Galil says it has opened a supplier investigation and rolled out "enhanced testing and supplier verification measures to prevent a recurrence," per the FDA notice. The contamination likely traces back to whoever supplied the raw cinnamon, not something that happened in Galil's own facility. The company hasn't publicly named a supplier or said where the cinnamon was sourced.

No federal investigation, fine, or enforcement action has been announced against Galil. This is a voluntary recall, not a regulatory crackdown. The FDA's role here is limited to posting the company's own announcement, as it does with all company-initiated recalls.

What to do if you have it

Check your container against UPC 794711005484 and lot code GAP11304. If it matches, don't eat it. Throw it out or take it back to where you bought it for a refund.

Galil is fielding questions at 516-496-7400, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern.

The bigger pattern

This isn't the first cinnamon lead scare in recent memory. Food safety experts say the response should be proportional, not panicked. Keith Schneider, a food safety professor at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, told Newsweek that consumers should check whether their specific product matches the recall details rather than swearing off an entire category of food. "There is no reason to automatically stop eating an entire category of food because one product has been recalled," Schneider said.

Galil hasn't disclosed what level of lead the Maryland lab found or how it compares to FDA action limits for spices. That information would help consumers gauge actual risk rather than just react to the word "lead." Whether that number gets released, and whether Galil identifies the supplier responsible, remains an open question as the company's investigation continues.

Sources

FDA company announcement; Newsweek; USA Today; LiveNow from FOX; Hometown Stations (Gray Media/CNN Newsource)