US food control agency flags popular potato chips in high-risk Salmonella recall

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially classified an ongoing recall of nearly 685,000 bags of popular potato chips under its most severe warning tier due to a potential Salmonella contamination.

The federal agency elevated the status of the voluntary recall to a Class I designation, which indicates a reasonable probability that consumption of or exposure to the violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

The enforcement action affects specific flavours and sizes of the New Orleans-themed Zapp’s and “Dirty” brand potato chips, both manufactured by Pennsylvania-based Utz Quality Foods.

The recall was initially triggered in late April and early May after Utz was notified by a third-party supplier that a dry milk powder ingredient sourced from California Dairies, Inc. could contain Salmonella. Although the specific seasoning batches utilised by the chipmaker originally tested negative for the bacteria prior to packaging, the company initiated the product pull out of an abundance of caution, conforming with the raw material supplier’s broader recall protocols.

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The high-risk classification covers nine distinct product varieties distributed across 35 states, all carrying “best-by” expiration dates ranging between July 27 and August 31, 2026.

According to the FDA enforcement report, the inventory includes over 300,000 bags of Dirty Brand Salt and Vinegar chips, roughly 344,000 bags of Zapp’s Bayou Blackened Ranch varieties, and smaller quantities of Zapp’s Big Cheezy, Dirty Sour Cream and Onion, and Dirty Maui Onion potato chips. The contamination scare has ripple effects across the food sector, as the same milk powder recall previously forced chocolate manufacturer Ghirardelli to pull several of its powdered beverage and hot cocoa mixes from retail markets.

Salmonella is a dangerous bacterium that causes severe gastrointestinal food poisoning, posing lethal risks to young children, elderly individuals, and those with compromised immune systems. While healthy adults typically experience symptoms such as sharp abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea, advanced infections can breach the bloodstream to induce life-threatening complications like endocarditis (heart valve inflammation) and arterial infections.

Utz Quality Foods confirmed that it has received zero reports of consumer illnesses or adverse medical events linked to the snacks. Federal health regulators have instructed retailers to strip all remaining affected bags from store shelves, while advising consumers who discover the recalled codes in their pantries to immediately discard the chips and contact Utz customer service for full refunds.