Kid-friendly dinosaur-shaped nuggets sold in Walmart stores may contain unsafe levels of lead, public health officials warn.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert Wednesday for the frozen, fully cooked, ready-to-eat chicken nuggets.
Officials said exposure to lead in the nuggets was found during a routine surveillance sampling conducted by a state partner.
It’s unclear how the product became contaminated.
Food can be exposed to lead as a result of the environment in which it’s grown or processed. The Food and Drug Administration said it’s not possible to completely prevent lead from entering the food supply, but it may be possible to reduce the levels through changes to agriculture or manufacturing processes.
There is no safe amount of lead exposure in food products. The FDA determines the public health risk of the level of lead in a food product by considering the level of lead toxicity measured in the food and estimated consumption. The reference level of lead toxicity for children is 2.2 micrograms, according to the FDA.
The amount of lead found in the dino nuggets could be as much as five times higher than the reference level for children, officials warn.
A recall was not requested because the products are no longer available to purchase, but officials are concerned that bags of the frozen nuggets could still be in consumers’ freezers.
No illnesses have been reported in connection with the possibly contaminated products.
Details of the contaminated dino nuggets
The contaminated nuggets were produced on Feb. 10, 2026.
The 29-oz. plastic bag has a “Great Value” label and a best if used by date of Feb. 10, 2027.
The lot code is “0416DPO1215” and has the established number “P44164” printed on the back of the bag.
Where the product was sold
Bags of the ready-to-eat dino-shaped nuggets were sold in Walmart stores nationwide.
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service officials did not disclose which specific Walmart locations sold the product.
The investigation is still ongoing.
What you should do if you have a bag of the dino nuggets
Officials said consumers who have purchased the bag of nuggets should not consume them.
The bag should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
Side effects of lead exposure
Lead is toxic to humans of any age or health status. It’s acutely harmful to pregnant women, infants and children.
Adverse effects depend on the level of lead in the food, the age of the consumer and the frequency of exposure, according to the FDA.
Short-term or very low levels of exposure may not cause any symptoms beyond elevated lead levels in blood tests.
If a child is exposed to enough lead for a protracted period of time (weeks to months), permanent damage to the central nervous system may occur. This can result in learning disorders, developmental defects and other long-term health problems, according to the FDA.
For adults, chronic lead exposure is associated with kidney dysfunction, hypertension and neurocognitive effects.
