Lays Potato Chips Ban Upgraded to Highest Risk by FDA

On December 16, the Food and Drug Administration issued a recall for class Lay’s Potato Chips and now it has updated that recall to this hosts level for risk.

The recall that the FDA issued back in December has gone to a higher level, affecting more than 6,000 bags of 13-oz. Classic Potato Chips from Lay’s. The upgrade takes the risk to the highest possible level and has been issued for the states of Washington and Oregon.

These were bags of chips that were distributed back on November 3rd in 2024 and could have components that trigger milk allergies. The bags are not marked as containing milk or similar allergens, which is what makes the recall so important. The original recall stated that the bags could contain undeclared milk, and it could affect anyone with a milk allergy or milk sensitivity. The risk is that an allergic reaction to the contents of the bags could be life threatening for some people.

This upgrade in risk level is known as Class 1 classification, and it include sites that, if consumed, could cause death in worst case scenarios, and sometimes severe health outcomes. The FDA does not take the recall lightly and is using the statement of the risk level upgrade to major news agencies.

These bags of chips that are affected under the recall will have a guaranteed fresh date for February 11th. Anyone who has the chips in their possession should dispose of them immediately, even if they do not have a milk allergy themselves.

PepsiCo Stock Reacts

Lay’s is owned by PepsiCo Inc. (PEP), which also owns Pepsi, Mountain Dew. Quaker Oats, and a number of other brands that are known worldwide. Their stock price is $151.25 at the time of this writing, up 0.67% from the previous day’s trading.

The stock price declined on Monday when the update on the recall was announced, but it has since started to recover. Because the recall only affects two states and just over 6,000 bags of chips, the impact on the stock price is not expected to be significant.

Timothy St. John

Financial Writer – European & US Desks

Timothy St John is a seasoned financial analyst and writer, catering to the dynamic landscapes of the US and European markets. Boasting over a decade of extensive freelance writing experience, he has made significant contributions to reputable platforms such as Yahoo!Finance, business.com: Expert Business Advice, Tips, and Resources – Business.com, and numerous others. Timothy’s expertise lies in in-depth research and comprehensive coverage of stock and cryptocurrency movements, coupled with a keen understanding of the economic factors influencing currency dynamics. Timothy majored in English at East Tennessee State University, and you can find him on LinkedIn.