25,000 Bags of Brad’s Kale Chips Recalled Over Thallium Concern

The FDA posted a voluntary recall notice on November 3, 2026, for about 25,000 bags of Brad’s Plant Based kale snacks. Snack Right Super Foods, Inc., doing business as Brad’s Raw Chips, says the chips may contain thallium. Anyone holding a matching bag should stop eating it and throw it out.

Which Items Are Involved?

Four products sold under the Brad’s Plant Based name are covered, each packaged in a bag. Compare the lot code and Best By date on your package with the entries below.

• Crunchy Kale, Original flavor, 2 oz (57g), UPC 813104021679: lots 33525-1, 33525-2 and 33525-3 are dated 1 February 2027. Lot 34525-1 is dated 11 February 2027, and lot 35125-2 is dated 17 February 2027.
• Crunchy Kale, Cheeze It Up flavor, 2 oz (57g), UPC 813104021877: a single lot, 35025-3, dated 16 February 2027.
• Crunchy Kale, Radical Ranch flavor, 2 oz (57g), UPC 813104020726: a single lot, 29425-1, dated 21 December 2026.
• Veggie Chips Kale, 3 oz (85g), UPC 854615002054: lot 33225-3 is dated 28 January 2027, lot 33325-2 is dated 29 January 2027, lot 33425-1 is dated 30 January 2027, and lot 33525-1 is dated 1 February 2027.

The notice does not say where the lot code and date sit on the bag.

What Went Wrong?

Thallium is a metal that occurs in soil and in certain sulfur-bearing minerals. Some plants absorb it, with cabbage and radish named as examples from the Brassicaceous family. Kale belongs to that group of crops.

The company warns that heavy exposure, either one large dose or repeated smaller ones, can lead to serious harm. It names stomach and intestinal illness, nerve damage in the limbs and hair loss.

The problem surfaced in May 2026. The California Department of Public Health told people to avoid certain Brad’s Plant Based products after checking a complaint from one person whose thallium levels were high. State staff pulled samples from stores around Sacramento. Lab results showed elevated thallium in several varieties.

The FDA then informed the firm that tested products contained thallium, and the recall followed.

The company says its production methods did not add the contaminant. Drying the kale strips out roughly 85 to 90 percent of its water, though, so elements already in the leaves end up more concentrated.

Areas and Consumers Impacted

The chips reached stores across the country. KeHE Distributors and United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) handled distribution, and the company also sold directly to five individual consumers.

An estimated 25,000 bags, about 2,097 cases, are still in commerce. Shipments went out between October 2025 and December 2025. The notice names no individual retailers, and the only place it mentions is the Sacramento area, where the state collected its samples.

How to Respond to This Recall

• Find the product name, UPC, lot code and Best By date on your bag and compare them with the entries above.
• If anything matches, stop eating the chips at once and discard them.
• Keep the bag away from the store. The company is not offering refunds, and it asks that nothing be returned to the place of purchase.
• If you think the chips made you ill, call your health care provider.
• Send questions to Alexa Olvera at Snack Right Super Foods, Inc., at alexandra@thesnackright.com. Staff respond on weekdays between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and a reply is promised within one business day.

Questions Owners Are Asking

Can I get a refund?

No. The company states that it is not providing refunds.

Should I take the bag back to where I bought it?

No. The notice tells buyers to discard the product instead.

Is the recall mandatory?

No. The company calls it voluntary and says it is being carried out with the FDA’s knowledge.

Regulatory Response

The FDA published the company’s announcement, dated November 2, 2026, as a public service and says it endorses neither the product nor the firm. The agency’s role in the case is also described in the notice: the recall began after the FDA advised the company that thallium turned up in tested products.