Health officials announced on April 2 that Texans should not to eat Great Value dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets, but the United States Department of Agriculture has since retracted this public health alert.
According to the update issued on April 7, the USDA said follow-up testing found no elevated levels of lead in the chicken nuggets and the federal government determined that this product does not pose a health concern.
The Texas Department of State Health Services originally communicated the warning as part of its ongoing efforts to safeguard public health. “Health officials warn Texans not to eat Great Value dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets,” the department said in its news release. The department later confirmed, “Update 4/7/26: The USDA has retracted this public health alert. Follow-up testing found no elevated levels of lead in the chicken nuggets. The federal government has determined this product does not pose a health concern.”
The Texas Department of State Health Services promotes health equity and safeguards vulnerable groups through accessible services throughout the state, according to the official website. The agency operates one of the largest public health laboratories in the U.S., along with eight regional offices across Texas and a central campus in Austin, according to the official website.
The department functions within the Texas Health and Human Services system as required by state law, according to the official website. It serves communities in every part of Texas through its eight public health regions and builds alliances with local health departments and community groups to bolster prevention efforts and health outcomes, according to the official website.