Ecuadorian officials in Agencia Nacional de Regulación, Control y Vigilancia Sanitaria (ARCSA) have reported that Carlos Aguilera of Ecuador, the processor of the ground cinnamon supplied by Negasmart to Austrofoods and later used in recalled apple cinnamon products, is the likely source of contamination and it is not in operation at this time. According to ARCSA, the unprocessed cinnamon sticks used in the recalled products were sourced from Sri Lanka and sampled by ARCSA, and no lead contamination was found. ARCSA’s investigation and legal proceedings to determine the ultimate responsibility for the contamination are ongoing. The FDA has no indication that this issue extends beyond these recalled products and has no confirmed reports of illnesses or elevated blood lead level adverse events reported for other cinnamon-containing products or cinnamon. As of February 5, 2024, the FDA has not received any additional confirmed complaints/reports of adverse events potentially linked to the recalled product. As of February 2, through their reporting structure, CDC has received reports of 100 confirmed cases, 277 probable cases, and 36 suspected cases for 413 cases from 43 different states. FDA’s investigation is ongoing to determine the point of contamination and whether additional products are linked to illnesses. @ https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-elevated-lead-chromium-levels-cinnamon-applesauce-pouches-november-2023?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
