Around 30 persons have fallen sick after consuming a segment of ground cinnamon imported to Spain.

The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) confirmed this based on data it had received pertaining to the probable presence of Clostridium perfringens bacteria in ground cinnamon. Further details unearthed the source as possibly that of ground cinnamon shipped from Vietnam under the brand name Especias Pedroza, with validity dates of production and expiry A220079 (December 31, 2023) and A222605 (February 28, 2026), respectively.  

What is Clostridium perfringens? 

It is a bacterium that causes some of the most frequent food poisoning instances on the planet, with a million cases occurring in the US, annually. This hints of its universal character and thus its rather mild symptoms. Most people infected with the pathogen experience the first signs six to twenty-four hours after consuming contaminated foodstuff. Symptoms are mild and range from stomachache to diarrhea, abdominal cramps and nausea. The illness lasts at least a full day and night.

What makes the pathogen so common? 

Laboratory tests reveal that Clostridium perfringens  propagates through the biological cell multiplication process, through spores. Spores are reproductive cells in microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi as well as some flora species. Sometimes, these spores thicken and double as defensive cells that can overcome extreme environmental conditions including heat, cold and humidity. This is exactly what the pathogens in ground cinnamon are doing and in the event, causing stomach ailments due to the toxins they form. Thanks to the timely safety alarm in Spain, the spread of the infection is likely to be minimal. 

Cinnamon is, ironically on the good side, a natural antibacterial aromatic plant. The workings of cinnamon as an essential oil is to do exactly what it has not done in the case of Clostridium perfringens: to fight spore formation. In other words, bacteria usually build complex structures known as biofilms that are similar to spores, to interact and mutate against antibiotic drugs. Cinnamon application may help curtail the foundation blocks of such biofilms.

Upon consuming the bacteria, a toxin is formed within the patient’s body and this leads to diarrhea as a bodily resistance mechanism. 

How does the pathogen infect the stomach?

The infiltration of Clostridium perfringens is through the  human gut, particularly the small and large intestines. The same case applies to a tamed animal’s gastrointestinal system which also doubles as a source if humans eat poorly cooked meat from such an animal. The bacteria infiltrates the walls of the intestines upon consumption of toxic foodstuff. External sources other than food that can lead to its ingestion include soil and contaminated water. Thus, children who nib at soil are likely to get infection from this pathogen. 

The easiest way to prevent infection is the immediate withdrawal of the affected food substance. In the case of Spain, AESAN alerted the public via its Rapid Information Exchange Coordination System ( SCIRI) and also asked people to report infections at once.

This goes hand in hand with proper refrigeration of fresh sources of food, ranging from aromatic plants such as cinnamon, to meat. Improper cooling of stored food, for one, encourages the sprouting and growth of the microbes, and later the multiplication of the same through spore formation. Thus, storing ground cinnamon under 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celsius) can promote the growth of Clostridium perfringens. According to a news source from Spain, lack of proper heating of meat can condone the “survival of spores” and lead to infection after a person eats such food. Thus, it is not just about storage but the way one cooks food as well. 

Who are the top exporters of ground cinnamon? 

Ground cinnamon is a major export product from Asian nations, particularly Vietnam. The country was the world’s leading exporter of the product in the year 2021. About $270 million worth of the commodity came  from the country. The United States alone imported US$188 of the product, making it the largest importer in 2021. 

Related: Vietnam Cinnamon Price Insights

Other export destinations of Vietnamese cinnamon, ground or not, include Spain and the European Union. Across the board, other Asian top net exporters range from Indonesia at $153 million to China at U$158 million and Sri Lanka at US$174 million in ascending order, for 2021 export values.

 Related: Indonesia Cinnamon Price Insights

Details of the specific cinnamon that caused infection in Spain

According to AESAN, these are the key identifiers that consumers are advised to use to eschew the ground cinnamon that is suspected to have run aground with  pathogenic infection:

• The product’s name is ‘ground cinnamon,’  which discounts other terms such as extracts or cinnamon oil.
• It comes from a company going by the name of Pedroza Spices.
• Its packaging medium is a plastic receptacle or sachet and its expiry date imprinted therein is end of June 2026. 
• The package has a net weight of 700 grams and is meant for storage at room temperature.  

What does the CDC recommend ?

At the international level, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a number of homemade remedial measures to curb the spread of, and cure early infection from, Clostridium Perfringens. These include: 

• Imbibing enough quantities of fluid to replace that lost amount after a spate of diarrhea. This is the easiest cure for an infected person. 
• Preventative measures include refrigerating food that has been left unfinished immediately or at least in two hours after cooking. It is even a recommendation to put steaming-hot broth inside the fridge as this will still offer effective protection. 
• Only freshly cooked food that is meant for long-term storage should be heated at less than 40 degrees Fahrenheit.