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Dear USET/USET SPF Family,
USET is dedicated to providing pertinent information to USET member Tribal Nations to protect the health and wellbeing of your Tribal communities. This alert is a follow up on a recent post released by the USET Office of Environmental Resource Management (OERM) Lead Testing Program, seen here.
A recent report from the EPA found that two-thirds of one-year olds get most of their lead exposure from food. The FDA has been reviewing its testing methods and standards and recently published FAQs regarding lead in food.
Most recently, select brands of applesauce containing ground cinnamon and certain brands of cinnamon powder were put on the list for recall due to elevated lead levels. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended that consumers stop using and discard lead contaminated products and that retailers and vendors voluntarily recall these products immediately.
USET member Tribal Nation citizens should be aware of recent recalls and discard any contaminated cinnamon products they find in their kitchen. Below is a list of recent FDA Recalls for Food Products Containing Lead:
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there is no exposure to lead that does not come without risks. The FDA set tolerance levels and continually monitors and regulates lead levels in food products by sampling potentially contaminated products. If the FDA finds a substance with high lead levels, they take regulatory action to recall foods, and potentially work with manufacturers to prevent the products from entering or remaining in the U.S. food market.
Lead Poisoning/Toxicity and Health
Lead is a naturally occurring heavy metal present in our environment. However, long exposure, and/or exposure of large amounts of lead is toxic and can have serious health consequences, especially if consumed. How lead affects an individual is based on several factors such as age, nutrition status, source and amount of lead exposure, length of exposure and any underlying health conditions.
Those most at risk of the effects of lead are children between the ages of 0-6 years old and pregnant individuals. Children are at the highest risk for any lead exposure due to their rapidly developing bodies taking any lead in if exposed. Pregnant people are at an elevated risk due to the effects lead has on growing fetuses. Typically, consumption to reach an unhealthy blood lead levels is 2.2 µg in children and 8.8 µg per for females of childbearing age. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says children with blood lead levels 3.5 µg/dL and above should receive prompt actions to mitigate exposure and potential health effects.
Lead Poisoning Signs and Symptoms
Lead poisoning is not normally an acute event, but sustained exposure to high levels of lead can produce acute signs and symptoms. Signs and symptoms can overlap with other conditions, which can make it difficult to diagnose.
Acute signs and symptoms in adults can include:
- Neurocognitive deficits (memory or concentration issues)
- Joint and muscle pains
- Seizures
- Abdominal pain
- Anemia
Long-Term exposure signs and symptoms in adults:
- Acute Symptoms
- Lethargy/fatigue
- Kidney damage
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Heart disease
- Peripheral neuropathy (damage to nerves outside the brain and spinal cord)
Acute signs and symptoms in pregnant people can include:
- Decreased fetal grown
- Pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy)
- Reduced fetal birth weight
- Spontaneous abortion (miscarriage)
Acute signs and symptoms in children:
- Same as adults, but these effects without immediate treatment can become permanent
Long-Term exposure signs and symptoms in children:
- Delayed physical and mental development in infants
- Lowered IQ levels
- Impaired hearing
- Reduced attention span
- Poor classroom performance
If you or your family are believed to have ingested or been exposed to these products, contact your healthcare provider to get a blood lead test. Based on the results of this test, certain treatments can be given to reduce exposure and/or further treatment recommendations can be made.
USET's Lead Testing Program
Clean and safe water is essential and paramount to building a sustainable economy, successful educational and public health systems, and most importantly, a healthy and productive environment for children. The USET OERM Lead Testing program has adopted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 3Ts program for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools and Childcare Facilities. This program was developed to help schools and child-care facilities to implement a voluntary program for reducing lead in drinking water.
USET’s OERM Lead Testing program promotes:
- Voluntary training
- Testing of drinking water for lead
- Taking corrective action if problems are identified
For USET Member Tribal Nation participants, we assist in:
- Conduct testing at Tribal schools and child-care facilities
- Assistance in community outreach and awareness
- Assisting health and education officials with developing lead programs within the community
- Opening conversations with community members, Tribal officials, and others regarding the general safety of local drinking water supply
- Offer in-person and virtual drinking water awareness seminars
- Help survey Tribal childcare facilities to prioritize the needs of our respective member Tribal Nation community
For USET Member Tribal Nations who are interested in lead testing services, please complete the Lead Testing program application.
If you have questions regarding this alert, please do not hesitate to contact the Tribal Epidemiology Center at usetepi@usetinc.org. Also reach out to Jakira Saunders, Program Manager of the Lead Testing Program at jsaunders@usetinc.org, or Ben Peyton, Senior Technical Assistance Specialist of the Lead Testing Program as bpeyton@usetinc.org.
Resources
FDA Alert on Elevated Lead Levels in Cinnamon Products
FDA Interim Reference Levels for Dietary Lead
FDA Food Safety News: Cinnamon Contamination
USDA Lead in Food and Foodwares
CDC Health Effects of Lead Exposure
CDC Blood Lead Levels in Children
CDC Populations at High Risk
CDC National Childhood Blood Lead Surveillance Data
CDC Lead News and Features
FDA Cinnamon Apple Sauce Pouches Investigation
Consumer Reports Cinnamon Applesauce Pouches: Intentional Contamination
Lead and U.S. Market Baby Foods
FDA is reevaluating its tolerances for lead in food, and food manufacturers should too
Understanding the Lead and Copper Rule
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