You probably buy kale chips to feel a little better about snacking.
Most of us assume a bag of baked greens is one of the safer things in the pantry. A new federal recall turns that assumption around for one well-known brand.
On November 3, 2026, Snack Right Super Foods Inc., doing business as Brad's Raw Chips, pulled four kale snack varieties after tests showed they may contain thallium, according to the FDA. Thallium is a toxic heavy metal.
The exact products and lots being recalled
The recall covers Brad's Crunchy Kale in three flavors (Original, Cheeze It Up, and Radical Ranch) in 2-ounce bags, plus Brad's Veggie Chips Kale in 3-ounce bags. The lot codes and best-by dates to check are below.
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Product | UPC | Lot codes and best-by dates |
|---|---|---|
Brad's Crunchy Kale, Original (2 oz) Also read: Why does your child keep reaching for junk food? New research offers clues | 813104021679 | 33525-1, 33525-2, 33525-3 (Feb 1, 2027); 34525-1 (Feb 11, 2027); 35125-2 (Feb 17, 2027) |
Brad's Crunchy Kale, Cheeze It Up (2 oz) | 813104021877 Also read: Scientists reveal what happens to your cholesterol when you eat almonds daily | 35025-3 (Feb 16, 2027) |
Brad's Crunchy Kale, Radical Ranch (2 oz) | 813104020726 | 29425-1 (Dec 21, 2026) Also read: Spending under 42 minutes in daylight each day may quietly raise your dementia risk |
Brad's Veggie Chips Kale (3 oz) | 854615002054 | 33225-3, 33325-2, 33425-1, 33525-1 (Jan 28 to Feb 1, 2027) |
The bags went out nationwide through KeHE Distributors and United Natural Foods Inc., plus a small number of direct sales. Roughly 25,000 bags shipped between October and December 2025.
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What thallium actually does to the body
According to the CDC, thallium is a soft, heavy metal that is tasteless and odorless.
It mainly enters the body through food, and you cannot taste or smell it in a bag of chips. That is part of what makes it so dangerous.
The FDA notes that at high enough levels, thallium exposure can cause gastroenteritis, meaning stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea.
It can also damage the nerves in the arms and legs and lead to alopecia, or hair loss.
In serious poisoning the CDC also describes rapid heart rate, abnormal heart rhythms, and respiratory failure.
Nerve damage can resolve slowly and may be permanent. Anyone who has eaten these chips and feels unwell should contact a doctor.
The California tests that started the trail
This is not the first warning on Brad's kale products. On May 19, 2026, the California Department of Public Health advised consumers not to eat eight Brad's Plant Based varieties.
State tests of samples from Sacramento-area stores had found elevated thallium.
The state investigation began in January 2026, after one person was found to have elevated thallium levels in their body. CDPH staff then traced the inquiry back to Brad's kale snacks and pulled samples off store shelves to test.
Kale belongs to the brassica family, a group of plants known to pull certain metals out of the soil. When the leaves are dehydrated into chips, most of the water is removed. Anything already in the plant gets concentrated in the final bag.
What to do if you have a bag at home
The FDA notice is direct. Stop eating the chips and throw them away. The company is not offering refunds, and the chips should not be returned to the store.
Consumers with questions can contact Snack Right Super Foods by email on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern time. No illnesses tied to the recalled lots had been reported at the time of the notice.
This article is made and published by Ida-Marie Palm Varbæk, who may have used AI in the preparation.