The USDA has issued a public health alert for Great Value dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets after routine testing found lead levels up to five times the federal reference limit.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert for a specific lot of frozen, ready-to-eat dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets sold at Walmart stores across the country after routine surveillance sampling revealed potentially unsafe levels of lead contamination.
The affected product is the 29-ounce plastic bag containing approximately 36 Great Value Fully Cooked Dino Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets. Consumers looking to identify the specific lot should check the back of the bag for a best-if-used-by date of Feb. 10, 2027, lot code 0416DPO1215, and establishment number P44164. The nuggets were produced on Feb. 10, 2026.
Why there is no recall
The USDA is not issuing a formal recall because the product is no longer available for purchase at retail locations. The agency’s concern is that some consumers may still have the item stored in their freezers. Anyone who has the product at home is advised to throw it away or return it to the place of purchase. It should not be consumed.
The problem was identified through routine sampling conducted by a state partner of the Food Safety and Inspection Service. The investigation is ongoing, and the agency noted that additional products could be added to the alert as the review continues.
The lead risk
The Food and Drug Administration sets an interim reference level of 2.2 micrograms as a guideline for lead exposure. Testing of the affected nuggets found lead levels that could be up to five times that threshold for children. There is no established safe level of lead exposure.
Lead is particularly harmful to developing brains and nervous systems, making infants and young children the most vulnerable population. Pregnant women and women who could become pregnant are also considered at elevated risk. Health effects from lead exposure can be lasting and are not always immediately apparent.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains updated guidance on the health effects associated with lead consumption.
Who made the product and who to contact
The nuggets were produced under establishment number P44164, identified in federal records as Dorada Foods. Consumers with questions specific to the product can contact Dorada Foods Vice President John Patrick Lopez directly.
The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline is available for broader food safety questions at 888-674-6854. Consumers can also submit questions by email to [email protected]. Those who need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product can access the USDA’s online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System around the clock.
What to check for
The key identifiers for the affected product are straightforward. The bag is 29 ounces, sold under the Great Value store brand, and labeled as fully cooked dino-shaped chicken breast nuggets. The lot code and best-by date on the back of the bag are the fastest way to confirm whether a specific package is part of the alert. If those details match, the product should not be eaten.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service said it will continue to update its guidance as the investigation develops.