What Consumers Need to Know about Heavy Metals Spice Safety
This infographic provides an at-a-glance overview of what consumers need to know about heavy metals in spices and how the spice industry works to keep the spice supply safe.
05/21/2024 at 6:25 am
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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.
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.
