HICKSVILLE, N.Y. (October 29, 2026): SLR Food Distribution Inc. is voluntarily recalling Wise Wife Brand Ground Cinnamon because the product may contain elevated levels of lead, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
SLR Food Distribution recall: quick summary
The affected cinnamon was distributed to retail and grocery stores in 14 states. No illnesses have been reported in connection with the product as of the recall announcement.
Official recall details
- Recall Announcement Date: October 29, 2026
- FDA Publish Date: October 29, 2026
- Announcing Agency: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Company: SLR Food Distribution Inc.
- Company Location: Hicksville, New York
- Brand: Wise Wife
- Product: Ground Cinnamon
- Distribution Period: September 8, 2025–June 28, 2026
- Distribution States: Connecticut, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin
- Reason for Recall: Potential contamination with elevated levels of lead
- Reported Illnesses: None reported to date
- Consumer Action: Do not consume. Discard the product or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.
- Consumer Contact: SLR Food Distribution Inc. at 1-516-437-3782 or [email protected], Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Eastern Time.
What happened?
The recall was initiated after a sample collected and analyzed by The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station revealed elevated levels of lead in the cinnamon. Following the finding, SLR Food Distribution notified customers to stop distributing and selling the affected product, remove it from store shelves, place remaining inventory on hold, and follow the company’s recall procedures.
On November 4, 2026, the FDA added Wise Wife Ground Cinnamon to its public health alert for cinnamon products containing elevated levels of lead. The agency’s updated table lists a lead concentration of 2.118 parts per million (ppm) for this product.
Affected products
The recall covers Wise Wife Brand Ground Cinnamon sold in 110 g (3.88 oz) clear plastic containers with black screw-top caps.
Product | Package size | UPC | Best Before Date |
|---|---|---|---|
Wise Wife Brand Ground Cinnamon | 110 g (3.88 oz) | 0688474302754 | April 25, 2027 |
The UPC is printed on the back label of the container.
Health risks associated with lead exposure
Lead exposure can affect nearly every bodily system, and its effects depend on the amount and duration of exposure, as well as an individual’s age and body weight.
According to the FDA notice, short-term exposure to very low levels of lead may not produce noticeable symptoms. Increased blood lead levels may be the only apparent indication of exposure.
Children are particularly vulnerable to prolonged exposure. When exposure occurs over weeks or months at sufficiently high levels, lead can cause permanent damage to the central nervous system, potentially resulting in learning disorders, developmental defects, and other long-term health problems.
Food Safety Insight
“A lead finding in ground cinnamon should prompt a closer review of the raw material’s sourcing history and the criteria used to approve it for production. Buyers should be able to connect laboratory findings with supplier lot documentation, understand which materials the results represent, and establish a documented basis for accepting or rejecting the ingredient,” said Allyza Joyce Mercado, FSQA Manager at Source86.
Here’s what you should do
Consumers who purchased Wise Wife Brand Ground Cinnamon should:
- Stop using the product immediately.
- Check the UPC (0688474302754) and Best Before date (April 25, 2027) to determine whether their product is affected.
- Discard the recalled cinnamon or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.
- Contact SLR Food Distribution Inc. at 1-516-437-3782 or [email protected] with questions. The company’s business hours are Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Eastern Time.
Behind the brand
SLR Food Distribution Inc. is an importer and wholesaler of Asian grocery products based in Hicksville, New York. According to the company’s website, it distributes food products to Asian supermarkets and grocery stores across the United States.
Its catalog includes packaged and bottled spices, sauces, noodles, snacks, instant beverages, grains, and other grocery items sourced from across Asia. The company was founded in Maspeth, New York, in 2008, later relocating to New Hyde Park in 2015 and Hicksville in 2020.
Other relevant recalls
SLR Food Distribution previously recalled Wise Wife Ground Cinnamon in September 2025 over elevated lead levels. That recall involved 50 g containers with a different UPC and distribution period.
In September 2026, Source86 also reported on Lior’s ground cinnamon recall, involving the same contaminant.
Regulatory context
Under 21 CFR § 117.130, food facilities covered by FDA’s preventive controls rule must conduct a written hazard analysis to identify and evaluate known or reasonably foreseeable hazards, including chemical contaminants such as lead. When a hazard requires a supply-chain-applied control, covered receiving facilities must establish a risk-based supply-chain program under 21 CFR § 117.405. This includes supplier approval and appropriate verification activities, as outlined in 21 CFR § 117.410.
FDA enforcement involving cinnamon illustrates these requirements. In an August 2024 warning letter, the agency cited Austrofood for deficiencies in its hazard analysis and supplier verification program after the company used lead-contaminated cinnamon in apple cinnamon fruit puree products. FDA also questioned whether Austrofood’s revised procedures defined a representative sampling approach and specified scientifically valid laboratory methods for testing cinnamon and verifying supplier results.
Ensuring safe eats
The two Wise Wife recalls highlight the importance of reviewing supplier performance when similar contamination issues arise in the same product category. Food buyers should determine whether suppliers have investigated previous findings and reassessed their ingredient acceptance criteria and testing procedures.
For support with ingredient sourcing, supplier qualification, and food safety and quality assurance, contact Source86.
