⚠ Stop Eating These Chips if you have any of the recalled flavors at home. Do not eat them. Throw them away or return them to where you bought them for a refund.
The FDA recalled 9 flavors of potato chips sold under the Zapp’s and Dirty brand names over a possible salmonella risk. The potential contamination was traced to a dried milk powder ingredient used in the chip seasoning. Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can cause serious illness, especially in children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.
If you have bags of these chips at home, check the flavor names below. If any match, stop eating them immediately.
Which Flavors Were Recalled?
Nine specific flavors from both the Zapp’s and Dirty brands are part of this recall. The affected flavors include:
| Brand | Flavor |
|---|---|
| Zapp’s | Salt & Vinegar |
| Dirty | Big Cheezy |
| Dirty | Sour Cream & Onion |
| Zapp’s / Dirty | Additional flavors — check the FDA recall notice for the full UPC list |
The specific UPC codes and lot numbers for all nine flavors are listed in the official FDA recall notice. If you’re not sure whether your bag is included, the FDA website has the complete list with product codes you can check against what’s on your package.
What Is Salmonella and What Does It Do?
Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can get into food during production or processing. You can’t see it, smell it, or taste it — the chips look and taste completely normal even if they are contaminated.
When someone eats food with salmonella, symptoms usually start between 6 hours and 6 days later. Common symptoms include:
- Diarrhea (sometimes with blood)
- Stomach cramps and pain
- Fever and chills
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headache
Most healthy adults recover on their own in 4 to 7 days. But for young children, elderly people, pregnant women, and anyone with a health condition that weakens the immune system, salmonella can cause much more serious illness and sometimes requires a hospital stay.
If you or a family member ate chips from one of the recalled flavors and then got sick with stomach problems, diarrhea, or fever, it is worth speaking with your doctor. Tell them what you ate and when your symptoms started.
What Caused the Contamination?
The potential salmonella contamination was traced back to a dried milk powder that was used as part of the seasoning blend on the recalled chip flavors. Dried dairy ingredients like milk powder can sometimes carry bacteria if they are not processed correctly during manufacturing.
Neither Zapp’s nor Dirty chips made this ingredient themselves — it was supplied to them by an ingredient manufacturer. This type of supply chain contamination is a known problem in the food industry, and it has caused similar recalls in the past.
What Should You Do Right Now?
- Check your bags against the recalled flavors listed above and the full FDA list.
- Stop eating them if they match. Even if no one has gotten sick yet.
- Throw them away or return them to the store where you bought them for a refund.
- See a doctor if anyone in your household has symptoms of salmonella — diarrhea, fever, or stomach cramps — especially children or elderly family members.
- Keep your receipts or packaging if you or a family member got sick. This can be helpful if you later decide to look into legal options.
Did You or a Family Member Get Sick?
If you ate chips from one of the recalled flavors and became ill, you may have legal options. Companies that sell contaminated food can be held responsible for the harm it causes, including medical costs, lost time at work, and pain and suffering.
This is especially true when the contamination comes from a known ingredient that should have been tested before reaching consumers.
Checking whether you may have a case is free and only takes about 2 minutes. Use the form below to tell us what happened. If your situation may qualify, someone from our team will follow up with you.