Lior Ground Cinnamon Recalled for Lead After State Testing

On September 24, 2026, Galil Importing Corp. recalled 90-gram containers of Lior Cinnamon Ground Seasoning across six states after Maryland state testing found elevated lead. Consumers holding lot GAP11304 should stop using the spice immediately and return it for a refund.

Key Takeaways

• The Recall: Galil Importing Corp. recalled 90 g containers of Lior Cinnamon Ground Seasoning on September 24, 2026, due to elevated lead levels.
• Specific Lot Details: The recalled product carries UPC 794711005484 and lot code GAP11304 printed directly beneath the ingredient line on the container.
• Geographic Scope: Distribution spanned retail grocers, supermarkets, and delis in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Florida, and Illinois.
• Origin of Action: Sampling and analysis by the Maryland Department of Health triggered the recall; the exact lead concentration was not publicly disclosed, and zero illnesses have been reported to date.
• Consumer Action: Anyone possessing the affected lot should immediately stop using it and return it to the point of purchase or throw it away.

What happened

On September 24, 2026, Galil Importing Corp. of Hauppauge, New York, published an official notice via the FDA Recall Announcement regarding its Lior Cinnamon Ground Seasoning.

The recall followed a sample collected and analyzed by the Maryland Department of Health that found elevated lead. The company says it has begun a supplier investigation, and no illnesses had been reported as of the announcement.

What changed?

The formal action removes a specific commercial run of Lior Ground Cinnamon from retail shelves and home pantries across the United States. Rather than a total market withdrawal of all Lior spices, the action targets a single production batch identified by regulators.

The specific parameters of the recalled spice include:

• Brand and Product Name: Lior Cinnamon Ground Seasoning
• Package Size and Type: 90-gram clear plastic containers, packed 6 containers per case
• Universal Product Code (UPC): 794711005484
• Lot Code: GAP11304

The specific lead concentration discovered during laboratory analysis by the Maryland Department of Health was not publicly disclosed in the recall notice.

Who is affected?

The distribution window for the recalled cinnamon ran from November 18, 2025, through September 7, 2026, nearly ten months. Retailers that received shipments include independent grocery stores, neighborhood delis, specialty markets, and regional supermarkets located in six states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Florida, and Illinois.

Small shops and delis rarely have loyalty-card systems that can notify buyers of a recall, so shoppers need to check their own pantries.

From a biological standpoint, children under the age of six and pregnant individuals face the greatest risks from heavy metal ingestion. Lead accumulates in the body over time, where it can interfere with neurological development, lower cognitive performance, and alter behavioral outcomes. Guidance on CDC Lead Prevention in Foods emphasizes that no safe blood lead level in children has been identified.

Adults exposed to chronic dietary lead can also experience adverse outcomes, including elevated blood pressure, renal dysfunction, and reproductive harm. The recall notice itself says short-term exposure to very low levels of lead may not cause any symptoms, and that a raised blood lead level may be the only sign, which is why laboratory testing matters.

What it means for shoppers

If you have ground cinnamon in your kitchen, locate the container and inspect the label carefully. For the Lior brand, look on the side of the 90-gram clear plastic jar: the critical lot code, GAP11304, is stamped directly under the ingredient line.

If your jar matches both the UPC (794711005484) and lot code GAP11304, do not cook with it or consume it. Dispose of the contents securely or return the container to the retailer where it was purchased for a refund.

Tracing spices purchased from small delis and specialty grocers presents unique practical challenges:

• Check the side panel: Find the distributor name (Galil Importing Corp.) and confirm whether the lot code matches the notice.
• Preserve packaging: Keep spices in their original containers rather than immediately decanting them into unlabelled spice racks so that lot numbers remain accessible during recalls.
• Look for origin disclosures: Review the package for listed importer information and any declared country of origin, though bulk spice ingredients are sometimes blended across regions.
• Clean your containers: If you decanted the cinnamon into a permanent glass shaker, wash the shaker thoroughly with hot soapy water before refilling it with a verified product.

The background

Heavy metal contamination in root and bark spices represents a complex, systemic challenge for global supply chains. Cinnamon is harvested from the inner bark of Cinnamomum trees, which can take up lead from the soil they grow in. In some historical global supply cases, foreign substances or colorants have also been introduced during processing, though no such accusation has been made regarding this specific Lior lot.

According to the FDA Ground Cinnamon Alert, its March 2024 testing found lead at roughly 2.03 to 3.40 parts per million in several ground cinnamon brands. That survey of ground cinnamon from discount retail stores followed the October 2023 recall of cinnamon applesauce pouches, whose cinnamon tested at 2,270 to 5,110 ppm, far higher. Maryland was one of the state health departments that collected samples for that 2024 alert through an FDA cooperative agreement with state labs. The FDA also notes that its import sampling checks only a subset of what comes in, and that manufacturers and importers are ultimately responsible for the safety of their products. Lior was not among the brands flagged in that earlier alert, and regulators have drawn no connection between this recall and earlier brand alerts. Lead in children's food has also driven new state testing rules, covered in our piece on state baby food heavy metal testing laws.

What to watch next?

Galil Importing Corp. is continuing its supplier-level investigation to identify where the contamination entered the distribution chain. No other lots or products have been added to the recall so far.

Regulators have not provided a timeline for concluding the supplier review.

Existing scientific evidence cannot establish the exact health impact of consuming this specific lot of Lior cinnamon, because the precise lead concentration detected by Maryland health authorities has not been made public. Anyone who suspects they or their family members have consumed the recalled lot over an extended period should contact a healthcare professional to discuss blood lead level testing.