USDA Retracts Public Health Alert for Frozen Dinosaur-Shaped Chicken Nuggets After Follow-Up Testing

U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert on April 1 for frozen, dinosaur-shaped, ready-to-eat chicken nuggets distributed to Walmart stores across the United States. The alert followed routine surveillance sampling by the New York State Department of Public Health, which detected elevated trace levels of lead in the product.

FSIS stated that the alert aimed to notify consumers of a potential risk, given the product's common consumption by children. The affected product consists of 29-ounce plastic bags of Great Value Fully Cooked Dino Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets. Each bag contains about 36 nuggets and bears a "Best if used by" date of February 10, 2027, along with lot code 0416DPO1215.

The bags also display establishment number P44164 on the back.

After the initial alert, the New York State Department of Health and Dorada Foods, the product's producer, conducted further sampling, including on the original lot.

All follow-up tests showed no elevated levels of lead in the nuggets. FSIS reviewed the laboratory data in coordination with state officials and determined the initial result was a false positive due to sporadic lead contamination in the laboratory during analysis, not in the product itself. FSIS concluded that the product presents no public health concern and retracted the alert on April 6.

The agency issued a news release detailing the retraction and the basis for the false positive finding. No illnesses or adverse effects have been reported in connection with the product.

health alerts from FSIS serve to inform consumers and retailers about potential food safety issues identified through surveillance or complaints.

In this case, the alert targeted a widely available frozen item popular among families, highlighting the importance of testing for contaminants like lead, which can affect child development. The retraction underscores the role of confirmatory testing in verifying initial findings. The incident affects consumers who purchased the specific lot of nuggets from Walmart.

Those with the product can continue to use it as intended, according to FSIS. The agency continues routine inspections of meat and poultry products to ensure safety.