Frito-Lay's Latest Chip Recall: What to Know

Last month, Frito-Lay recalled thousands of bags of chips due to undeclared milk, marking the company's latest recall due to allergen concerns in 2023. Issued on Nov. 9, the latest recall to hit the popular chip brand impacts more than 16,000 bags of Frito-Lay's Off The Eaten Path Chickpea Veggie Crisps, a product that prompted a multi-state recall after the company received a consumer complain.

Some 16,100 bags of 6 ¼ oz. Off The Eaten Path Chickpea Veggie Crisps are affected by the current recall, according to Frito-Lay and a recall notice shared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The recalled chips have a use by date 12 MAR 2024. Manufacturing codes 55432514MH, 55432516MH, and 55432517MH are included in the recall. No other Off The Eaten Path products, flavors, sizes or variety packs are recalled. The recalled crisps were available for purchase as early as September 13, 2023 and distributed to retail stores and e-commerce customers in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The product sparked the multi-state recall after Frito-Lay received a consumer complaint, which prompted an investigation that discovered bags of Off The Eaten Path Chickpea Veggie Crisps may contain caramel seasoned crisps, a product that contains milk. Milk is not an ingredient that was declared on the packaging for the Off The Eaten Path Chickpea Veggie Crisps.

Although no allergic reactions have been reported, the presence of undeclared milk poses a potentially life-threatening risk to some consumers. Milk is one of the most common food allergies in children, per the Mayo Clinic, and the third most common food, after peanuts and tree nuts, to cause anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction that narrows the airways and can block breathing. Signs and symptoms of a milk allergy occur a few minutes to a few hours after consumption of milk or a milk product and range from mild to severe. Although symptoms may vary from person to person, they commonly include wheezing, vomiting, hives, and digestive problems.

The cause of the most recent recall is identical to the cause of at least two other recalls this year. In May, Frito-Lay recalled dozens of bags of Lay's Classic Potato Chips due to undeclared milk, per Food Standards Australia New Zealand. That same month, bags of Lay's Classic Potato Chips were recalled in the U.S. after it was discovered the bags may contain undeclared milk ingredients from sour cream and onion potato chips.

In all of the recalls, no adverse reactions were reported in connection to consumption of the product. However, due to the health risks the products pose, those with an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk have been encouraged not to consume the product and discard it immediately.