A public health warning has been issued for frozen dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets that may be contaminated with dangerous levels of lead, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
The agency said the issue was discovered during “routine surveillance sampling” and is continuing to investigate.
FSIS said no recall has been requested because the product is no longer available for purchase. However, the product may still be in the consumer’s freezer.
Here’s what you need to know:
Which Frozen Dinosaur Chicken Nuggets are affected?
The product subject to the public health warning is a 29-ounce plastic bag of great value fully cooked dinosaur-shaped chicken breast nuggets. Each bag contains approximately 36 nuggets, has a “best before” date of February 10, 2027, and a lot code of “0416DPO1215.” The establishment number “P44164” is printed on the back of the bag.
Where were the chicken nuggets shipped?
FSIS said the nuggets were shipped to Walmart stores across the United States.
Why are chicken nuggets unsafe?
Chicken nuggets can be contaminated with dangerous levels of lead.
According to FSIS, lead is especially dangerous for pregnant women, infants, and young children because it can harm the developing brain and nervous system, potentially causing permanent problems.
“There is no safe amount of lead exposure. Food and Drug Administration guidelines establish an Interim Reference Level (IRL) of 2.2 micrograms,” FSIS said in a public health alert. “The amount of lead in these nuggets can be up to five times higher than this IRL for children.”
Consumers who have purchased these products and still have them in their freezers are advised not to consume them and to throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.
Gabe Hauari is USA TODAY’s national trends news reporter. You can follow him at X @gabehauari Or email Gdhauari@gannett.com.
