Attention frozen dinner and snack fans: There's a new public health alert you need to know about—especially if you love meals that come in fun shapes.
What food is part of this alert?
On Wednesday, April 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert for frozen, dinosaur-shaped, ready-to-eat chicken nuggets by Great Value.
The chicken nuggets, the FSIS explained, were produced on February 10, 2026. The public health alert covers 29-oz. plastic bags containing approximately 36 Great Value Fully Cooked Dino Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets with a Best If Used By date of February 10, 2027. The packaging also includes the lot code 0416DPO1215 and establishment number P4416 printed on the back of the bag.
Why are these nuggets part of a public health alert?
According to the FSIS, the nuggets may be contaminated with unsafe levels of lead. While this would usually merit a recall, the product is no longer available for purchase in stores, and thus does not require the stores to pull the product (so a public health alert is enough). However, the agency noted it is "concerned that some product may still be in consumers’ freezers."
The nuggets were shipped to Walmart locations nationwide. The FSIS also explained that it is continuing to investigate this issue and that “additional products could be added” over time, so check back on its website frequently.
Why is lead an issue in our food?
"Lead is especially dangerous for pregnant women, infants, and young children because it can harm developing brains and nervous systems, sometimes causing lasting problems," the FSIS notice explains. The agency also notes that there is no safe level of lead exposure.
It pointed to the Food and Drug Administration's guidelines that offer an “interim reference level (IRL) of 2.2 micrograms” as a safer margin of error. However, the FSIS noted that the amount of lead found in these nuggets could be “as much as five times higher than this IRL for children.”
What should I do if I have these nuggets in my freezer?
As noted, the FSIS remains concerned that people could still have them in their freezer. Anyone who has purchased this product is asked to discard it immediately or return it to your place of purchase for a refund. Those with questions can contact John Patrick Lopez, the vice president of strategy, communications, and government affairs at Dorada Foods, at [email protected].
