Potential lead contamination has prompted a nationwide public health alert regarding packages of frozen, dinosaur-shaped, ready-to-eat chicken nuggets that were sold at Walmart stores nationwide earlier this year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued the warning Wednesday.
FSIS did not request a recall because the products are no longer available for purchase; however, food safety inspectors are concerned that the items could still be in consumers' freezers.
The alert affects 29-oz. packages of Great Value Fully Cooked Dino Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets with a Best Used By date of Feb. 10, 2027. Each package contains approximately 36 nuggets, has the lot code 0416DPO1215 and establishment number P44164.
According to FSIS, the issue was discovered during routine surveillance sampling by a state partner. Anyone who purchased the nuggets is urged not to eat them and either throw away or return to the place of purchase.
FSIS cautions there is no safe amount of lead exposure. The dense, heavy-metal is especially dangerous for pregnant women, infants, and young children because it can harm developing brains and nervous systems, sometimes causing lasting problems.
Guidelines from the Food and Drug Administration provide an interim reference level (IRL) of 2.2 micrograms. The amount of lead found in these nuggets could be as much as five times higher than this IRL for children, FSIS reports.