Your Florida Daily: FDA says ground cinnamon sold at discount stores is tainted with lead, PGA Tour returns to Orlando

Plus, where the name ‘Broward’ in Broward County comes from

This combination of photos provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 shows cinnamon products sold in U.S. discount stores which contain elevated levels of lead. Top row from left are distributed by La Fiesta Food Products of La Miranda, Calif.; Moran Foods, LLC of Saint Ann, Mo., and MTCI of Santa Fe Springs, Calif. Bottom row from left are from Raja Foods LLC of Skokie, Ill.; Greenbriar International, Inc. of Chesapeake, Va., and El Chilar of Apopka, Fla. (FDA via AP) (Uncredited)

ORLANDO, Fla. – The FDA is out with a new alert over cinnamon products sold across the U.S., including here in Florida.

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The agency sent out a letter identifying six brands with concerning levels of lead. One of the distributors is based in Apopka.

The FDA is recommending recalls from the following brands: La Fiesta, Marcum, MTCI, SWAD, Supreme Tradition and Apopka-based company El Chilar.

Last October, the FDA reported over 450 confirmed and suspected cases with lead poisoning among kids.

They later traced the lead back to pouches of cinnamon applesauce for children. At least one official believes it was done on purpose to increase the weight of the products.

As for this latest recall, the FDA says the levels of lead in the brands of ground cinnamon is much lower, but if you find those brands in your house, you should still throw them out.

This combination of photos provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 shows cinnamon products sold in U.S. discount stores which contain elevated levels of lead. Top row from left are distributed by La Fiesta Food Products of La Miranda, Calif.; Moran Foods, LLC of Saint Ann, Mo., and MTCI of Santa Fe Springs, Calif. Bottom row from left are from Raja Foods LLC of Skokie, Ill.; Greenbriar International, Inc. of Chesapeake, Va., and El Chilar of Apopka, Fla. (FDA via AP)

Some of the biggest retailers where the cinnamon products are sold include Save-a-Lot, Dollar Tree and Family Dollar.

Read more here.

Volusia County sheriff warns spring breakers on dangers of laced drugs

Volusia County is among Florida’s most popular spring break destinations and that has law enforcement preparing for large crowds of students.

Law enforcement plans to crack down on unsupervised teens — something Sheriff Mike Chitwood says has been a growing problem in recent years.

He says more teens are vaping and using drugs during spring break.

“We live in a dangerous world now. We’re watching where high school kids that are vaping that when they’re arrested or something occurs and they take a urine test, they’re testing positive for fentanyl, cocaine, and meth.”

Sheriff Chitwood says there will be a greater law enforcement presence this year in well-known spots like Flagler Avenue in New Smyrna Beach.

They’ll also have tools to monitor crowds from above.

Read more here.

Arnold Palmer Invitational returns to Orlando’s Bay Hill

Some of the world’s best golfers are in Central Florida for the area’s premier golf tournament — the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

It all began Wednesday with the Pro-Am at Bay Hill.

As for the Invitational, four previous champions are competing this year. Round one teed off Thursday morning.

Read more here.

Random Florida Fact

Broward County was carved out of Palm Beach and Dade Counties in 1915 and got its name from Napoleon Bonaparte Broward, the 19th governor of Florida.

Perhaps ironically, Broward is best remembered today for his plan to drain the Everglades to make way for more farmland.


About the Author

Katrina Scales is a producer for the News 6+ Takeover at 3:30 p.m. She also writes and voices the podcast Your Florida Daily. Katrina was born and raised in Brevard County and started her journalism career in radio before joining News 6 in June 2021.

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