A recall of two popular potato chip brands has been elevated to the most serious level the U.S. Food and Drug Administration uses, over the possibility that the snacks are contaminated with salmonella. Shoppers are being warned to check their pantries before their next snack break.
The FDA has upgraded the recall of Zapp's and Dirty brand potato chips to Class I, its highest risk category. That designation means there is a reasonable probability that eating the affected product could cause serious health problems or even death, a step up from how the recall was first classified.
The scale of the recall is substantial. Roughly 684,000 bags of Zapp's and Dirty brand chips, made by Utz Quality Foods, are covered by the action, making it a sweeping, nationwide removal of the snacks from shelves and homes.
The problem traces back to a single ingredient. Utz said the recall was prompted after it was notified that a seasoning containing dry milk powder, supplied by a third-party source, might contain salmonella. That concern was tied to an earlier recall of bulk powdered milk over potential contamination.
A specific set of flavors is affected. The recall covers varieties including Zapp's Bayou Blackened Ranch, Zapp's Salt and Vinegar and Zapp's Big Cheezy, along with Dirty Salt and Vinegar, Dirty Maui Onion and Dirty Sour Cream and Onion potato chips.
Officials have pointed consumers to the packaging to identify the recalled bags. The affected products carry best-by dates running from late July through the end of August, and anyone who has them is urged to throw the bags out rather than eat them.
There is some reassurance amid the warning. No illnesses had been reported to the company in connection with the recalled chips, and the affected seasoning batches were said to have tested negative for salmonella before they were used, with the recall serving as a precaution.
Salmonella can still pose a real danger, particularly to young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems, which is part of why the FDA reserves its Class I label for the most serious cases. Health officials continue to advise consumers to discard any recalled products and avoid taking the risk.