Lay's Potato Chips Has a Class I Recall — What This Means For Your Pantry

When a food recall has been issued, it's easy to panic. Food recalls aren't meant to scare you, but to be informative and potentially prevent foodborne illness from bacteria like listeria or salmonella. Each food recall has a different classification and indicates how severe a food recall may be.

Typically, though, food recalls mean it's time to look through your refrigerator or pantry and remove the offending item, then dispose of it or return it as appropriate. Keep reading for what you need to know about the Lay's potato chips recall, including why the products were recalled in the first place.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Frito-Lay recalled over 5,000 bags of Lay's Classic Potato Chips across Oregon and Washington on Dec. 16, 2024. On Jan. 27, 2025, however, the FDA gave its risk classification of Class I, the highest possible level of risk.

If you are exposed to or eat something that is a Class I recall, it means the product could cause "serious adverse health consequences or death."

Why did the chips receive such a high classification? According to the FDA, a limited number of 13oz bags "may contain undeclared milk" after a consumer notified the company of this discovery. Anyone with a milk allergy or sensitivity run the risk of a serious or even life-threatening allergic reaction should they consume these potato chips.

The recalled product came in 13oz flexible bags that had UPC Codes of 28400 and 31041, as well as "Guaranteed Fresh" date of Feb. 11, 2025 and one of two manufacturing codes: 6462307xx or 6463307xx.

If you are in possession of the recalled product and have questions or concerns, you can contact Frito-Lay Consumer Relations over the phone at 1-800-352-4477, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST Monday through Friday.

In addition to Class I, the highest recall classification ,here are several other recall classifications you may want to be aware of: Class II, in which consuming or using a product could result in temporary or medically-reversible health effects, and Class III, in which consuming or using a product is unlikely to cause an adverse health reaction, per the FDA website.

According to FoodSafety.gov, if you have recalled food in your refrigerator or have prepared it in your kitchen, you should:

• Throw out the food and clean your kitchen.
• Wipe down counters, drawers, and/or shelves with hot soapy water.
• Then, wipe down any surfaces, rinse dishes and/or cookware with a sanitizing solution, and let them air dry.