8 Potato Chip Recalls That Haunt Shoppers
Few pantry items spark as much craving as the classic and delicious potato chip. With a diverse range of flavors like barbecue, kettle-cooked, salt and vinegar, and more, potato chips have evolved into a versatile food item. Crispy, salty, and endlessly snackable, there is a reason why millions of people eat potato chips every year. However, some major potato chip recalls have tainted the image of the brands that help create this satisfying snack for customers around the world.
Over the years, several major recalls have sent shockwaves through the snack aisle, leading loyal chip lovers to doubt their purchases. From undeclared allergens to salmonella contaminations to glass pieces found inside bags, these recalls have left customers wondering what they are truly putting in their mouths. In this article, we're diving into some of the most infamous and unsettling potato chip recalls; some so bad they still haunt customers and these companies today.
Read more: 11 Foods You Might Want To Avoid Buying At Aldi
In January 2024, Utz Quality Foods faced a major scandal when it made a significant labeling error for one of its popular potato chip products. Eighty-eight cases of Utz's 2.75-ounce bags of Wavy Original Potato Chips were recalled after it was discovered that the product contained an undeclared milk allergen.
According to reports on this recall, around 1,200 of these single-serving bags were accidentally flavored with a seasoning that contained milk when they were meant to remain plain. This error posed a serious threat to individuals who are allergic or sensitive to milk because this product could create a reaction upon consumption.
This recall only affected New York state, primarily New York City. Utz encouraged customers to discard all affected products to help prevent any outbreaks. Thankfully, no illnesses were reported from this manufacturing mix-up. This situation is a startling reminder that missteps like these are still happening now and that consumers can never be completely sure about the labels on their favorite foods.
In another recent scandal, the major chip company Frito-Lay found itself dealing with a major recall of its iconic Lay's Classic Potato Chip products. In December of last year, the company announced that 5,154 pounds of these chips needed to be pulled from shelves in Oregon and Washington after a consumer contacted the company with a concern. The reason for the concern was an undeclared milk allergen discovered in a limited number of the 13-ounce bags of these chips.
Given the popularity of Lay's chips, this error sparked immediate concern from more customers and food safety officials. The chips had already made their way to retail shelves, making this recall difficult to control. Fortunately, no allergic reactions related to this recall were reported.
Because Lay's is one of the most popular and iconic chip brands, this incident did drum up some negative press. Recalls like this one can easily affect consumer trust and make some second-guess the products they consume without a thought of any potential danger.
In August 2021, Ballreich Snack Food Co. of Tiffin, Ohio, was forced to recall its popular Bar-B-Q Potato Chips after a salmonella contamination was discovered. The company was alerted by a supplier that an ingredient used in the chip seasoning had been tainted with Salmonella, a common and dangerous bacterial disease found in a variety of foods.
The affected products included their 1.5 oz, 2.75 oz, and 7 oz bags of Bar-B-Q Potato Chips, which were distributed in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. This recall was taken very seriously due to the incredible potential harm of a salmonella infection. When children, the elderly, or any vulnerable person is exposed to salmonella, an infection can be severe and potentially fatal. Symptoms such as a fever, diarrhea, nausea, and bodily pain can occur at varying extremes after contamination.
Thankfully, no illnesses were reported in connection with this outbreak. Salmonella is a serious bacterial disease, and this scare was certainly difficult for customers of Ballreich Snack Food Co. to forget.
In 2017, Frito-Lay made headlines for a massive recall of its popular jalapeño-flavored potato chips. Both the Jalapeño Flavored Lay's Kettle Cooked Potato Chips and the Jalapeño Flavored Miss Vickie's Kettle Cooked Potato Chips were voluntarily pulled after salmonella was discovered in the seasoning used for these chip varieties. As mentioned, salmonella can be extremely dangerous for vulnerable groups, which made this recall urgent for Frito-Lay.
What makes this recall so infamous is the size and scale of the recall: 54,337,303 units of these products were recalled due to this exposure. As part of this recall process, Frito-Lay worked with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ensure that this massive quantity of these products was removed from store shelves and kept out of the mouths of unassuming customers. Although no illnesses were reported from this incident, this case became infamous due to the significant size and scale of this recall.
In another major recall, Frito-Lay was left to recall 5,232 pounds of their All Dressed Flavored Potato Chips after an undeclared ingredient was discovered in this item. This voluntary recall, which happened in May 2021, was initiated after it was discovered that certain bags of Ruffles All Dressed Potato Chips were accidentally filled with other flavors of potato chips, exposing unsuspecting consumers to milk in the process.
Not only were consumers getting flavors of chips that they did not ask for, but this situation also could have been incredibly dangerous for individuals with milk allergies, who can only eat dairy-free foods. Consuming these affected chips could lead to serious allergic reactions, which is why Frito-Lay issued this recall.
Thankfully, no reactions were reported from this product mix-up. This incident once again highlights just how important stringent quality control measures are in food manufacturing, especially for a company as big as Frito-Lay.
In July 2018, Utz Quality Foods, a company known for its delicious and unique chip flavors, faced another voluntary recall after several batches of their Carolina Style Barbeque Potato Chips were found to include an undeclared allergen. The recall affected approximately 96,279 bags distributed across 30 states, which made this recall difficult to control and enact. The spread and scale of this recall caught the attention of customers nationwide.
The allergen discovered in this product was soy, a serious allergen that is one of the top 14 allergens worldwide. The failure to label the presence of soy on these packages could have put someone at serious risk if they consumed it unknowingly. Because of this, customers who purchased this product were encouraged to discard it right away to avoid any potential exposure. While no reactions were reported, the severity of this recall has not gone unremembered by customers as the years have passed.
In November 2020, the Canadian branch of the beloved Miss Vickie's chips brand had to issue a widespread recall of several variations of their famous Kettle Cooked Potato Chips after glass was discovered inside some of the product's packaging. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) reported that select bags of these potato chips sold in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and online were potentially affected.
The flavors that were recalled included Applewood Smoked BBQ, Jalapeño, Original Recipe, Sea Salt & Malt Vinegar, Spicy Dill Pickle, Sweet Chili & Sour Cream, Sweet Southern BBQ, and assorted multipacks. The recall gained attention for how unique it was and how dangerous this situation could have been. No injuries were reported from the consumption of any of these chips, but this recall still lives on in the memories of customers.
While customers have emerged mostly unscathed from these other major recalls, this recall did stem from a tragic incident involving a child. Texas-based chip company Paqui shelved a special edition chip sold as the "One Chip Challenge," which was designed to be an extremely spicy eating experience, when a 14-year-old boy died after eating the chip. While the specific nature of his death is not publicly confirmed, it is believed that the chip's high capsaicin content could have played a part.
This viral challenge was a sobering reminder of the dangers of many food-based challenges online. High levels of capsaicin can be dangerous for anyone, especially children or those who may have underlying health conditions. In response to this immense tragedy and in an effort to ensure no further harm, Paqui announced it would no longer sell or create this product. This incident and the others on this list may have passed now, but the memory of them will surely live on in the minds of shoppers.
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