Frito-Lay chips recall upgraded to most dangerous classification over ‘life-threatening’ risk

Frito-Lay’s latest recall has an elevated risk status due to an undeclared ingredient in some corn chips that can cause a “life-threatening” allergic reaction.

On Saturday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration classified the recall of 13-ounce bags of Tostitos Cantina Traditional Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips as Class I. This type of recall is “a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death,” according to the FDA.

The FDA initially announced the recall of a limited number of these chips on April 2. The recall was initiated because the bags may mistakenly have been filled with nacho cheese tortilla chips, meaning they may contain an undeclared milk allergen.

If someone who’s allergic to milk eats these chips, their reactions could “vary in severity from mild symptoms involving hives and lip swelling to severe, life-threatening symptoms,” the FDA states.

Along with milk, the most common undeclared allergens are wheat, shellfish, eggs, fish, peanuts, tree nuts, and soybeans.

The recalled product from Frito-Lay was distributed to a range of retailers across 13 states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Chip bags were first sold on March 7, with less than 1,300 bags included in the recall. There have not been any reported allergic reactions due to the error.

This isn’t the first time that Frito-Lay recalled a product due to an undeclared allergen. In November, a limited number of Lay’s Classic Potato Chips bags were recalled because they may have contained undeclared milk, which Frito-Lay learned “after being alerted through a consumer contact.”

The recalled product was sent to retail stores and distributors in Oregon and Washington, and it was available for purchase as early as November 3, 2024. Two months later, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) elevated this recall to a Class I recall.

There have been a slew of food recalls issued throughout the last month. On Saturday, Johnsonville, LLC recalled approximately 22,672 pounds of its cheddar bratwurst product, according to an announcement shared by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. The recall was issued because the sausages may have been contaminated “with foreign material, specifically hard plastic.”

The recall was initiated after Johnsonville, LLC received complaints from two different customers reporting hard plastic found in their bratwurst. At the time of writing, there have been no reports of injuries due to the consumption of the sausage.

Also this month, Trader Joe’s issued a recall on its Hot Honey Mustard Dressing due to a “labeling error.” The FDA stated that dressing bottles with a Use By Date of May 27, 2025, were incorrectly labeled with a nutrition sticker that did not accurately include an allergy warning for peanuts, soy, sesame, or wheat.