"There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions," the government says, but the concern could be serious for some consumers.
Walmart Just Announced a Health Advisory on a Frozen Chicken Product
Published on Jan. 09, 2025
Right after the Great Value chicken broth recall came to light this week, Walmart was quick to alert customers that another product sold as chicken had been flagged for a food safety issue.
This time, it wasn’t a Great Value product, but it appears Walmart was the only distributing retailer: On Wednesday, January 8, the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS) specified that the item was shipped to Walmart locations nationwide.
The product in question is Bettergoods Traditionally Crafted Chicken Curry Empanadas in a yellow box. Other identifying details are the following, per the FSIS:
- 9.6-oz. cardboard packages
- “BEST BY: 05/21/26” or “BEST BY: 05/22/26”
- “EST. P33967” printed on the box’s side
- produced on November 14, 2024, and packaged on November 20, 2024, and November 21, 2024
The reason for the recall is what the FSIS referred to as “misbranding”—or, in lay terms, what appears to have been a packaging mixup. The product “may actually contain Apple Cinnamon Empanadas,” the FSIS reports, “which contain milk, a known allergen, that is not declared on the product label. FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers with allergies to milk are aware that this product should not be consumed.”
The FSIS’s post notes that this isn’t considered a formal recall because the products no longer should be available for sale—but with such long-lead expiry dates, it’s possible some Walmart customers may have the affected product in freezer storage.
It’s reported four consumers contacted the company to advise they’d found the apple cinnamon variety inside. The FSIS says they’ve received “no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products,” however: “Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider. “These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase,” the FSIS says.
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