Lay’s Classic Potato Chips Recall Upgraded to Highest FDA Alert Due to ‘Potentially Deadly’ Ingredient

FDA Elevates Lay’s Classic Potato Chips Recall to Highest Alert Due to Undeclared Allergen

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has elevated the recall of Lay’s Classic Potato Chips to a Class I status, its highest alert level, due to an undeclared ingredient that could trigger a “life-threatening allergic reaction.”

According to the FDA, a Class I recall is issued when there is a “reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”

Frito-Lay initially announced the recall on December 18, 2024, affecting a “limited number” of 13 oz bags of Lay’s Classic Potato Chips. The recall was initiated after the company was alerted by a consumer that the chips “may contain undeclared milk,” posing a serious risk to individuals with a milk allergy or severe sensitivity.

As of now, no allergic reactions have been reported. The recall does not affect any other Lay’s products, flavors, sizes, or variety packs.

Consumers can identify the recalled 13-ounce bags by the “Guaranteed Fresh” date of February 11, 2025, along with one of the following manufacturing codes: 6462307xx or 6463307xx.

The FDA advises consumers with a milk allergy or sensitivity not to consume the product and to “discard it immediately.”

The recall for Lay’s potato chips has been elevated to a Class I recall, the FDA’s highest risk classification. Frito-Lay initially issued the recall on December 16 through the FDA, citing the presence of “undeclared milk” in certain Lay’s potato chips.

“Individuals with a milk allergy or severe sensitivity face a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the recalled product,” the FDA stated in its initial report.

This recall follows another recent Class I alert issued for Braga Fresh’s ready-to-eat 12 oz Marketside Broccoli Florets, sold at Walmart, due to potential Listeria contamination.

On December 31, the FDA announced that Braga Fresh had voluntarily recalled the product due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria is a bacteria that can contaminate various foods. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infection can lead to both invasive and intestinal illnesses, with symptoms varying in severity.