The U.S. Food and Drug Administration upgraded a nationwide recall of select Zapp’s and Dirty brand potato chips to Class I status [2].

This upgrade represents the highest risk level for food recalls, signaling that the contaminated products could cause serious health complications or death. The move follows findings of potential salmonella contamination within the seasoning powder used in the snacks [2, 3].

Utz Quality Foods, the manufacturer of the affected brands, is coordinating the recall of approximately 600,000 bags [1]. The FDA said the upgrade to the highest-risk classification occurred June 28, 2024 [3].

Salmonella bacteria can cause severe gastrointestinal illness. The agency said the contamination is specifically linked to the seasoning powder applied to the chips [2, 3].

Distribution of the affected products spanned the entire United States [1, 2]. Consumers are advised to check their packaging and dispose of any products associated with the recall to avoid potential illness.

The recall targets a specific subset of the product line rather than all offerings from the brands. However, the volume of affected goods—reaching more than 600,000 bags [1]—indicates a significant production lapse at the manufacturing level.

“The FDA upgraded a recall of select Zapp’s and Dirty brand potato chips to a Class I (highest‑risk) recall.”

A Class I recall is the most severe designation the FDA uses, reserved for situations where there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences. The scale of this recall suggests a systemic contamination of a raw ingredient—the seasoning powder—which highlights the vulnerability of the food supply chain to single-source ingredient failures.