Health Department Warns of Potential Lead in Frozen Chicken Nuggets

Breckinridge County issues alert over Great Value dinosaur-shaped nuggets with February 10 best-by date.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 8:45pm

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A ghostly, translucent X-ray photograph showing the internal structure of a frozen chicken nugget in the shape of a dinosaur, with glowing lines representing the presence of lead contamination.An X-ray image reveals the internal structure and potential lead contamination within a frozen dinosaur-shaped chicken nugget, raising food safety concerns.Hardinsburg Today

The Breckinridge County Health Department in Kentucky is warning residents about a potential food safety issue with Great Value 29-oz. bags of frozen dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets. The department says there have been reports of unsafe lead levels in the product, which had a best-if-used-by date of February 10th. While a formal recall was not issued since the product is no longer on store shelves, the health department is urging consumers to avoid eating any of these nuggets that may still be in their freezers.

Why it matters

Lead exposure, even at low levels, can have serious health consequences, especially for children. The discovery of potential lead contamination in a widely available frozen chicken product raises concerns about food safety and supply chain oversight.

The details

According to the Breckinridge County Health Department's social media post, the 29-oz. bags of Great Value frozen dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets contained approximately 36 pieces each and had a best-if-used-by date of February 10th. While no formal recall was issued since the product is no longer being sold, the health department is advising residents to discard any of these nuggets they may have in their freezers and not consume them.

  • The health department issued the warning on April 6, 2026.
  • The affected chicken nuggets had a best-if-used-by date of February 10th.

The players

Breckinridge County Health Department

The local public health agency in Breckinridge County, Kentucky that issued the warning about the potential lead contamination in the frozen chicken nuggets.

Great Value

The store brand owned by Walmart that produced the frozen dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets in question.

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The takeaway

This incident highlights the importance of vigilant food safety monitoring and the need for robust supply chain oversight to identify and address potential contaminants before they reach consumers. It also serves as a reminder for households to carefully check their freezers for any potentially unsafe products.