A popular Tostitos chip sold across major U.S. retailers has been urgently recalled after fears it could cause serious or even fatal allergic reactions.
Frito-Lay has pulled a limited number of 13 oz. bags of Tostitos Cantina Traditional Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips from the shelves after discovering some bags may actually contain nacho cheese chips, a major problem for anyone with a milk allergy.
The undeclared allergen was flagged after it was revealed the wrong chips were bagged during production. According to PepsiCo, less than 1,300 bags are affected, but the risk is still serious enough to warrant immediate action.
The products were sold at Walmart and Target, as well as through digital retailers, in 13 states, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Each affected bag carries a “Guaranteed Fresh” date of 20 MAY 2025 and one of the following manufacturing codes:
- 471106504 – 18 13:XX
- 471106505 – 85 13:XX
- 471106506 – 85 13:XX
- 471106507 – 85 13:XX
(Where “XX” is any number from 30 to 55)
Shoppers are urged to check their pantry now and avoid consuming the chips if they have a milk allergy or sensitivity. No illnesses have been reported yet, but the FDA has issued a full food safety alert.
A spokesperson for PepsiCo said:
“Consumers can view the full press release on the Frito-Lay Contact Us page to see if their product is impacted by this recall. Unless a consumer has a dairy allergy or sensitivity to milk, this product is safe to consume.”
The recall follows similar food safety concerns. Just last week, bottles of Texas Pete Habanero Buffalo Sauce were pulled after being filled with sriracha sauce instead, containing undeclared sulfites, another potentially dangerous allergen.
Food safety advocates warn that labeling mistakes like this are far too common, especially during high-production cycles. And while the number of bags recalled in this case may seem small, for someone with a severe milk allergy, even one bite could be deadly.
If you’ve purchased the recalled chips, do not eat them. Return the product to the store for a full refund or contact Frito-Lay’s consumer relations line for more information.
Better safe than snack-sorry.
