FDA recall targets Brad's kale and veggie chips over possible thallium contamination

Snack Right Super Foods Inc., doing business as Brad's Raw Chips, has recalled several varieties of its Brad's Plant Based kale chips and veggie chips because the products may contain thallium, a toxic metal, according to a recall notice posted by the Food and Drug Administration. The company, based in Coral Gables, Florida, announced the recall on November 2, and the FDA published its notice the following day.

The recall follows months of testing by California public health authorities that began after a single consumer was found to have elevated thallium levels, and it marks the first time the company has pulled product from shelves since officials first flagged the issue in the spring.

What is covered

The recall is limited to specific lots of four products, each sold in resealable bags under the Brad's Plant Based label:

• Brad's Crunchy Kale, Original, 2 oz: lots 33525-1, 33525-2 and 33525-3 (best by February 1, 2027), lot 34525-1 (February 11, 2027) and lot 35125-2 (February 17, 2027)
• Brad's Crunchy Kale, Cheeze It Up, 2 oz: lot 35025-3 (best by February 16, 2027)
• Brad's Crunchy Kale, Radical Ranch, 2 oz: lot 29425-1 (best by December 21, 2026)
• Brad's Veggie Chips Kale, 3 oz: lots 33225-3, 33325-2, 33425-1 and 33525-1 (best by dates from January 28 through February 1, 2027)

The products were distributed nationwide between October and December 2025 through KeHE Distributors and United Natural Foods Inc., and were also sold directly to five individual consumers, according to the FDA notice. The agency estimates about 25,000 bags, roughly 2,097 cases, remain in commerce. The notice does not disclose the manufacturing location, though a related Los Angeles County Department of Public Health advisory says the products were shipped from a Pennsylvania facility and labeled "Product of Mexico."

A metal that concentrates in dried greens

Thallium occurs naturally in the earth's crust and can be absorbed by fruits and vegetables grown in contaminated soil, according to a toxicology fact sheet published by the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The FDA notice states that the company's manufacturing process did not introduce the contaminant; rather, dehydrating the kale removes roughly 85 to 90 percent of its water content, which concentrates minerals, including thallium, that were already present in the fresh vegetable.

"Acute or chronic exposure to thallium at relatively high levels can result in serious adverse health effects, including gastroenteritis, damage to peripheral nerves, and alopecia (hair loss)," the FDA recall notice states.

The Los Angeles County health department's advisory adds that high exposure can also cause numbness or pain in the hands and feet and, in severe cases, heart-related complications. Both agencies describe thallium exposure through food as uncommon in the United States. The ATSDR fact sheet notes that thallium has no known biological role and was once used in rodent and insect poisons before that use was banned in 1972; today the element reaches the environment mainly through coal burning, metal smelting and cement production, and people are most commonly exposed by eating produce grown in soil where it occurs naturally or has settled from those industrial sources. Blood tests for thallium only reflect very recent exposure, the agency says, while urine and hair tests cannot reliably predict whether a given exposure will cause health problems.

How the case surfaced

The recall traces back to a California Department of Public Health investigation that opened in January 2026, after officials were alerted to a person with elevated thallium levels in their system. A dietary review pointed investigators toward Brad's kale products, and when the state collected and tested samples from Sacramento-area retail stores, it found elevated thallium across multiple varieties and lots.

On May 19, the department issued a public warning covering a broader list of products than the current recall, including Brad's Crunchy Kale in Original, Vampire Killer, Cheeze It Up, Nacho and Radical Ranch flavors, plus Brad's Balsamic and Ranch Salad Snacks. At that point, according to the Los Angeles County summary of the release, the company had been notified of the test results but had not voluntarily recalled anything, and the state said it was coordinating with the FDA and with Pennsylvania officials as the investigation continued. The recall announced this month is narrower, covering only the specific lots the FDA's own testing confirmed.

Who is affected and what happens now

The FDA notice does not report any confirmed illnesses tied to the recalled lots; the single documented case of elevated thallium levels that triggered the original investigation predates this recall. Consumers who have any of the listed products are advised to stop eating them immediately and throw them away rather than return them to a store, since the company is not offering refunds. Anyone who believes they experienced symptoms after eating the chips is advised to contact a health care provider. Questions can be directed to the company contact listed in the FDA notice, who is expected to respond within one business day during weekday business hours.

Because the affected lots carry best-by dates stretching from December 2026 into February 2027, public health officials say some bags are still likely to be sitting unopened in pantries. The investigation remains open, and it is not yet clear whether further lots or products will be added to the recall as testing continues.

The two distributors named in the FDA notice, KeHE Distributors and United Natural Foods Inc., both supply natural and specialty grocers across the country, which is consistent with where Brad's products are typically sold rather than through conventional mass-market retailers. The FDA notice lists a direct phone line and email address for consumers and retailers with questions about specific lot numbers, and says the company will respond to inquiries during normal business hours. Because the recall was initiated voluntarily by the company after being notified of the FDA's test results, no mandatory recall order or civil enforcement action has been announced against Snack Right Super Foods as of this week.