A public health alert over unsafe levels of lead in dinosaur-shaped ready-to-eat chicken nuggets recently sold at retail chain Walmart (WMT) has been issued.
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Nuggets Should Be Thrown Away
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued the alert for the chicken nuggets, which were produced on February 10, 2026. They contained around 36 nuggets with a use by date of February 2027. These items were shipped to Walmart locations nationwide.
A recall of the products was not needed because they are no longer available for purchase at Walmart. However, there is a risk that the nuggets may still be in shoppers’ freezers waiting to be eaten. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
The problem, said the Department, was discovered during routine surveillance sampling conducted by a state partner.
Dangerous for Children
Lead is especially dangerous for pregnant women, infants, and young children because it can harm developing brains and nervous systems, sometimes causing lasting problems. There is no safe amount of lead exposure.
Guidelines from the Food and Drug Administration provide an interim reference level (IRL) of 2.2 micrograms. The amount of lead found in these nuggets could be as much as five times higher than this IRL for children.
Although the nuggets are no longer sold at Walmart, alerts such as these matter to the company because selling dangerous products can damage the company’s reputation. This is why the ability to sell is a key risk when investing in a retail stock – see below:
Is WMT a Good Stock to Buy Now?
On TipRanks, WMT has a Strong Buy consensus based on 27 Buy and 2 Hold ratings. Its highest price target is $150. WMT stock’s consensus price target is $138.92, implying a 10.44% upside.
