Publication - Enhanced lead accumulation in cassia bark linked to lichen and algae: a case study from Northern Vietnam
Researchers in Vietnam have published a study examining lead accumulation in cassia bark. The study was initiated last year as a collaborative effort between ASTA, the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), and cassia exporters.
10/14/2025 at 12:00 am
4
Related Resources
2021 Regulatory Presentation: New Limits on Heavy Metals in Spices in New York State
This presentation was provided at the 2021 Regulatory Workshop. The presenter, the NY State Department of Agriculture and Markets Division of Food Safety and Inspection, presented on the new limits on heavy metals in spices, including AGM - DOH Interagency Collaboration, action levels for heavy metals including Lead, Cadmium, and Inorganic Arsenic, and Spice Samples Violative for Lead.
Research Report on Heavy Metals in Vietnamese Cassia
In 2022, ASTA partnered with several NGOs (GREAT, IDH, CRED) to conduct a pilot study to identify the contributing factors of heavy metals in Vietnamese cassia. The study evaluated levels of heavy metals in the environment (soil, water, air) and in cassia products (fresh & dried). The study did not find a significant relationship between concentrations of heavy metals in the environment and in cassia. However, preliminary data supplied by a cinnamon exporting company demonstrated the potential to significantly reduce the concentration of heavy metals in finished cassia products by peeling the outermost layer of the bark.
