Frozen dinosaur chicken nuggets may contain lead. How to check.
Gabe HauariA public health alert has been issued for frozen, dinosaur-shaped, ready-to-eat chicken nuggets that may be contaminated with unsafe levels of lead, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service.
The agency said the problem was discovered during "routine surveillance sampling" and that it is continuing to investigate the issue.
The FSIS said a recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase. However, products may still be in consumers' freezers.
Here's what to know.
What frozen dinosaur chicken nuggets are impacted?
The product that is subject to the public health alert are 29 oz.-plastic bags of Great Value Fully Cooked Dino Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets. Each bag contains approximately 36 nuggets and have a "Best if used by" date of Feb. 10, 2027, and a lot code of "0416DPO1215." The bags also have an establishment number of "P44164" printed on the back of the bag.
Where were the chicken nuggets shipped?
The nuggets were shipped to Walmart locations nationwide, according to the FSIS.
Why could the chicken nuggets be unsafe?
The chicken nuggets may be contaminated with unsafe levels of lead.
According to the FSIS, lead is especially dangerous for pregnant women, infants, and young children because it can harm developing brains and nervous systems, sometimes causing lasting problems.
"There is no safe amount of lead exposure. Guidelines from the Food and Drug Administration provide an interim reference level (IRL) of 2.2 micrograms," the FSIS said in the public health alert. "The amount of lead found in these nuggets could be as much as five times higher than this IRL for children."
Consumers who have purchased these products and still have them in their freezers are urged not to consume them, but rather throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].