Utz recalls Zapp's and Dirty potato chips nationwide over salmonella risk

Utz Quality Foods LLC has recalled certain limited varieties of Zapp’s and Dirty potato chips sold nationwide after a seasoning ingredient tied to dry milk powder may have been contaminated with salmonella. The voluntary recall, announced by the Hanover, Pennsylvania-based subsidiary of Utz Brands, Inc., covers specific bags with best-by dates running from late July through late August 2026.

The affected products include Zapp’s Bayou Blackened Ranch, Zapp’s Salt and Vinegar, Zapp’s Big Cheezy, Dirty Salt and Vinegar and Dirty Maui Onion. Utz said the recalled chips were sold in retail stores across the United States, making the problem a national consumer-safety issue rather than a regional one. No other Utz products are included in the recall.

Utz said the concern stems from a seasoning that contained dry milk powder sourced from California Dairies, Inc. and supplied by a third-party vendor. The company said the seasoning batches tested negative for salmonella before use, but it pulled the chips out of an abundance of caution. As of the recall notice, no illnesses had been reported to Utz in connection with the products.

The recall is a reminder of how a single ingredient can move through a layered snack supply chain and surface in products that consumers see only under familiar brand names. Utz, whose portfolio also includes Utz, Golden Flake, Boulder Canyon, Hawaiian Brand and TORTIYAHS!, said its snacks are distributed nationally through grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, convenience outlets, drugstores and other channels. That broad reach helps explain why a seasoning issue inside a limited product run can still trigger a nationwide pull.

Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, especially in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Common symptoms include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says symptoms usually begin 6 hours to 6 days after exposure and often last 4 to 7 days. The agency estimates salmonella causes about 1.35 million infections in the United States each year.