Thallium contamination found in brand of plant-based snacks
– The California Department of Public Health is warning consumers not to eat several Brad’s Plant-Based Crunchy Kale and Salad Snack products after laboratory testing found elevated levels of thallium.
According to the department, prolonged exposure to thallium may result in illness or injury. The agency said the manufacturer has been notified of the elevated thallium levels but has not recalled the products from the marketplace.
The products are distributed by Snack Right Super Foods, Inc. and Brad’s Raw Chips, LLC, and are sold at major retailers in California and other states.
The products identified by the department include:
- Brad’s Crunchy Kale Original
- Brad’s Crunchy Kale Vampire Killer
- Brad’s Balsamic Salad Snack
- Brad’s Ranch Salad Snack
- Brad’s Crunchy Kale Cheeze It Up
- Brad’s Crunchy Kale Nacho
- Brad’s Crunchy Kale Radical Ranch
- Brad’s Veggie Chips Kale
According to the department, the products are distributed from Pennsylvania and labeled with out-of-country ingredients marked “Product of Mexico.” The department said it is working with the United States Food and Drug Administration and the state of Pennsylvania to investigate.
The department advised consumers to avoid eating any Brad’s brand products containing kale because elevated levels of thallium were detected across several tested lots.
According to the department, thallium is a naturally occurring trace metal. Consumers are most commonly exposed through fruits and vegetables grown in soil containing thallium.
The department said high levels of thallium in foods may cause hair loss, numbness, pain in the feet and hands, gastrointestinal effects, and heart problems.
The investigation began after a January 2026 inquiry from an individual with elevated thallium levels. Department staff investigated Brad’s Plant-Based kale products consumed by the individual and collected samples from retail grocery stores in the Sacramento region.
Testing confirmed elevated thallium levels in multiple varieties of the products, according to the department.
The department said it worked with federal officials and the state of Pennsylvania to notify the manufacturer and requested a voluntary recall. According to the department, the manufacturer has refused to remove the products from the marketplace.
Consumers are advised to throw away the listed products or return them to the place of purchase for a refund. Retailers are advised to discard the products and not sell them to consumers.
