The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has retracted its April 1 public health alert for Walmart Great Value Fully Cooked Dino Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets, stating the product does not pose a public health concern.
Following the initial alert — which was triggered by routine New York State Department of Public Health surveillance sampling that detected elevated trace levels of lead — additional testing was conducted by both the state health department and the product’s manufacturer, Dorada Foods. That follow-up testing, including retesting of the original lot, found no elevated lead levels in any of the products sampled.
FSIS said it reviewed the underlying lab data alongside the New York State Department of Health and determined the original result was a false positive, caused by sporadic lead contamination at the laboratory during analysis — not contamination of the product itself.
The agency has concluded that the nuggets, which carry a “Best If Used By” date of Feb. 10, 2027, are safe and that no further consumer action is needed.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued a public health alert for frozen, dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets that may contain unsafe levels of lead.
The alert covers 29-oz. plastic bags of Great Value Fully Cooked Dino Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets produced Feb. 10, 2026, and shipped to Walmart locations nationwide. The bags carry a “best if used by” date of Feb. 10, 2027, lot code 0416DPO1215, and establishment number P44164.
A recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase, but FSIS said it is concerned some packages may remain in consumers’ freezers.
The problem was discovered through routine surveillance sampling by a state partner.
Lead levels in the nuggets could be as much as five times higher than the Food and Drug Administration’s interim reference level of 2.2 micrograms for children. Lead is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, infants and young children because it can damage developing brains and nervous systems and cause lasting harm. Health experts say there is no safe level of lead exposure.
Consumers who have purchased the product should not eat it. The nuggets should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
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