Popular potato chips recalled for salmonella at NC Publix, Harris Teeter & more
If you like chips with your deli sandwich, you may want to double-check your grocery bag.
Utz Quality Foods is voluntarily recalling select varieties of Zapp’s and Dirty potato chips sold in North Carolina and nationwide over possible salmonella risk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Monday.
The popular chips line the shelves at major grocery stores including Publix, Harris Teeter and Food Lion. Smaller packages are also sold at convenience store chains like 7Eleven, according to Utz’s product locator.
The move comes after Utz was alerted that a flavor seasoning containing dry milk powder (supplied by a third-party carrier) could be contaminated with salmonella.
While the impacted seasoning batches tested negative for the bacteria, Utz issued the recall out of an abundance of caution. So far, no illnesses have been reported, the FDA said.
Here’s what to know ahead of your next grocery store run:
Which potato chips are affected?
The nationwide recall includes nine limited varieties of Zapp’s and Dirty brand chips with “best by” dates between July 27 and Aug. 31, the recall notice says.
The affected snacks are listed below:
Customers who bought the affected potato chips should throw them out, officials said. Customers can also request a refund by calling Utz Customer Care at 1-877-423-0149.
What’s salmonella?
Salmonella poisoning is a bacterial infection often spread through contaminated food or water, and can cause severe intestinal illness, according to Mayo Clinic.
Symptoms typically appear within eight to 72 hours after exposure. They may include:
- Stomach cramps
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Chills
- Diarrhea
Most people recover from salmonella infection within a few days without treatment. However, the infection can cause “life-threatening complications” (especially in people with weakened immune systems) if it spreads beyond the intestines, experts say.
Portions of this story previously appeared in The News & Observer.