The FDA upgraded a nationwide recall of Zapp's and Dirty potato chips to its highest-risk classification on Jul. 1, 2026, after a seasoning ingredient tied to a dry milk issue was linked to salmonella. The action covers about 684,000 bags and a 60-count box, and the FDA is telling consumers to throw away or return recalled products.
Utz Quality Foods LLC first recalled the chips in May 2026 after a third-party supplier told it that a seasoning containing dry milk may have been contaminated. The affected products include Zapp's Bayou Blackened Ranch, Zapp's Salt and Vinegar, Zapp's Big Cheezy, Dirty Salt and Vinegar, Dirty Maui Onion and Dirty Sour Cream and Onion.
Utz chips and package sizes
The recall reaches 1.5-ounce, 2-ounce, 2.5-ounce and 8-ounce bags, plus a 60-count box of 1.5-ounce Zapp's Salt and Vinegar chips. Best-by dates on the affected products run from Monday, July 27 through Monday, Aug. 31, giving shoppers a date range to compare against whatever is still in a pantry or break room.
Consumers checking a package should use the flavor name, bag size and best-by date together, since the recall spans multiple varieties rather than a single product code. Those details are the practical screen for deciding whether a bag belongs in the recall or stays on the shelf.
California Dairies Inc. recall chain
The chips trace back to an initial recall started by California Dairies Inc. on April 20, 2026. Ghirardelli powdered beverage mixes, including frappes and hot cocoa in bulk packaging, were then recalled on April 28, 2026, before Utz pulled the chip varieties in May.
The FDA's upgrade moves the case into its highest-risk category, which is the agency's most serious recall classification. That step signals that the product could cause serious health consequences even though the recalled chips themselves were not tied to a reported illness pattern.
No illnesses have been reported in connection with the recalled chips. Utz says the affected seasoning batches tested negative for salmonella, yet the FDA still elevated the recall, leaving the warning in place for consumers who bought the chips during the affected date range.
Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, and it can become severe in young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. A shopper who finds one of the named flavors should not taste it to check the bag; the FDA says to dispose of it or return it.
Major supermarkets recall prepackaged fruit products over salmonella contamination fears show how quickly a food recall can widen when one ingredient reaches more than one product line, and this one now reaches both snack bags and a bulk box.
