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The chips were distributed to nationwide retailers

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Utz Quality Foods has issued a voluntary recall of certain Zapps and Dirty potato chips in the U.S.

• The recall stems from a seasoning ingredient that may be contaminated with Salmonella.

• No illnesses have been reported, but consumers are urged not to eat affected products.

Utz Quality Foods is recalling limited varieties of its Zapps and Dirty brand potato chips after a supplier flagged a potential contamination issue, according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notice.

The Hanover, Pennsylvania-based snack maker said the recall was initiated after it was notified that a seasoning ingredient used in certain products may contain Salmonella, a bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.

The affected chips were distributed to various retailers in the United States, though the recall applies only to specific flavors and production lots tied to the seasoning ingredient.

Salmonella infection can lead to symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare cases, it can result in more severe illness, particularly among young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.

No reports of illness

Utz said it has not received any reports of illness related to the recalled products.

The recall follows notification from a third-party supplier that a seasoning containing dry milk powder could be contaminated, prompting the company to act out of an abundance of caution, according to the FDA notice.

Consumers who have purchased the affected chips are advised not to eat them and instead discard the products or return them to the place of purchase for a refund. Retailers have been instructed to remove impacted items from store shelves.

Zapps, known for its Cajun-style kettle chips, and Dirty chips are both brands owned by Utz Quality Foods.

Food recalls are typically issued when a product may pose a health risk due to contamination or mislabeling, and federal agencies advise consumers to check product details carefully to determine whether items they have purchased are affected.

The FDA said it continues to monitor the recall as part of its ongoing food safety oversight.

How team-based care helped patients lower their numbers

• A multi-part care strategy significantly lowered blood pressure in low-income patients.

• The approach combined team-based care, home monitoring, and structured treatment protocols.

• Patients in the intervention group saw larger improvements than those receiving standard care.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects nearly half of U.S. adults, yet many people still struggle to keep it under control.

Even though medications and lifestyle changes are widely available, large numbers of patients especially those in lower-income communities dont reach recommended targets.

Researchers have long known that lowering systolic blood pressure can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, but translating those goals into real-world clinical settings has been more complicated.

A new study from UT Southwestern, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, explores whether a more structured, team-driven approach could help close that gap. Instead of relying solely on traditional doctor visits, the strategy brings together multiple layers of support designed to make blood pressure management more consistent and accessible.

Poor hypertension control is a major clinical and public health challenge. This effective, sustainable, and scalable implementation strategy should be widely adopted in the U.S. to improve hypertension control, researcher Jiang He, M.D., M.S., Ph.D., said in a news release.

How the study was conducted

To test this approach, researchers partnered with 36 federally funded health centers in Louisiana and Mississippi that serve medically underserved populations.

Clinics were randomly assigned to either implement the new intervention or continue with enhanced usual care, which included standard guideline training and blood pressure measurement practices.

The intervention itself was multifaceted. Care teams included not just primary care providers, but also nurses and community health workers who shared responsibility for managing patients hypertension. Providers followed a structured treatment protocol based on intensive blood pressure targets, while patients monitored their blood pressure at home multiple times per week. These readings were shared with the care team, allowing for ongoing adjustments.

Additional components included health coaching to support medication adherence and lifestyle changes, as well as regular audits and feedback on blood pressure data to help clinicians refine care.

In total, 1,272 adults with uncontrolled hypertension participated in the study, with an average age of about 59.

What the researchers found

After 18 months, patients in clinics using the team-based strategy experienced a greater reduction in systolic blood pressure compared to those receiving usual care. On average, the intervention group saw a drop of 16 mm Hg, while the comparison group had a reduction of 9 mm Hg.

The intervention group also showed better adherence to the treatment strategy overall, suggesting that the structured, supportive approach made it easier for both patients and providers to stay on track.

Importantly, rates of serious side effects were similar between the two groups, indicating that the more intensive strategy did not introduce additional safety concerns.

Taken together, the findings suggest that a coordinated, team-based model can make a measurable difference in blood pressure control, even in settings with limited resources. Researchers note that this type of approach could potentially be expanded to other clinics to improve outcomes for patients who have historically faced barriers to effective hypertension management.

The great Costco bagel debate of 2026 is upon us

• Smaller packs, more flexibility: Costco is testing single eight-count bagel packs instead of forcing multi-pack purchases.

• Less waste, smarter spending: Shoppers can buy what theyll actually eat instead of overbuying and freezing extras.

• Debate over value: Some say the per-unit price is higher, others say its cheaper if you avoid throwing food away.

For years, shopping the bakery at Costco came with a built-in dilemma: great prices, but way more food than most people actually needed. If you wanted bagels, you werent just grabbing one pack, you had to commit to multiple sleeves whether you liked it or not.

Now, thats starting to change. And for a lot of shoppers, its a bigger deal than it sounds.

The change: Smaller packs, same value mindset

Costco is testing a new approach in some warehouses by offering a single eight-count package of bagels for $4.99, instead of requiring shoppers to buy two six-packs at once.

On paper, its a small tweak. In reality, it fixes one of the biggest pain points in the Costco bakery, which is forced bulk buying.

Instead of standing there debating freezer space, or whether youll realistically eat a dozen bagels before they go stale, you can now just grab one pack and move on.

Why this matters for real shoppers

Reducing the number of bagels you have to buy isnt just about convenience, Costco is hoping it reduces waste and hopefully saves you money in the process.

Heres what used to happen:

• Youd buy more bagels than you needed just to get the deal.
• Half would end up frozen (or forgotten).
• Sometimes, food would go bad before you finished it.

With smaller pack sizes, youre:

• Buying closer to what youll actually eat.
• Keeping food fresher.
• Avoiding the bulk trap where cheap per-unit pricing can lead to waste.

For smaller households, empty nesters, or anyone not feeding a crowd every morning, this is a much more practical way to shop.

But not everyone thinks its a win

Some shoppers arent celebrating just yet, and I think theyre raising a fair point.

A few commenters argue the change may be less about convenience and more about pricing.

One shopper put it bluntly: So before, you got 12 for $5.99. Now, you get 8 for $4.99. They raised prices without raising prices.

Another added: So now it is more expensive per pack.

Yes, youre buying less upfront. But depending on how you look at it, the per-unit cost could be slightly higher.

Others pushed back on that argument, pointing out that if you used to throw some away (or forgot about them in the freezer) then the smaller pack is actually cheaper in real life.

The hidden savings strategy here

This shift to smaller amounts also unlocks a smarter way to shop at Costco overall.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that bigger always equals cheaper. But the truth is, the best deal is the one you actually use.

A single $4.99 pack you finish is cheaper than two packs where one goes stale.

So, if you see these smaller bakery options at your local warehouse:

• Start with one pack and test how fast you go through it.

• Skip the automatic stock up mindset.
• Only freeze extras if you know youll actually use them.

What to watch going forward

Like many Costco changes, this rollout isnt everywhere yet. Availability can vary by location, and not every bakery has made the switch.

But if this sticks, it could signal a bigger shift in how Costco balances bulk value with real-life shopping habits. And honestly, its overdue.

Because while Costco built its brand on buying more, shoppers today are getting smarter about buying better, and often that means buying less.

The chips were distributed to nationwide retailers

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Utz Quality Foods has issued a voluntary recall of certain Zapps and Dirty potato chips in the U.S.

• The recall stems from a seasoning ingredient that may be contaminated with Salmonella

• No illnesses have been reported, but consumers are urged not to eat affected products

Utz Quality Foods is recalling limited varieties of its Zapps and Dirty brand potato chips after a supplier flagged a potential contamination issue, according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notice.

The Hanover, Pennsylvania-based snack maker said the recall was initiated after it was notified that a seasoning ingredient used in certain products may contain Salmonella, a bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.

The affected chips were distributed to various retailers in the United States, though the recall applies only to specific flavors and production lots tied to the seasoning ingredient.

Salmonella infection can lead to symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare cases, it can result in more severe illness, particularly among young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.

No reports of illness

Utz said it has not received any reports of illness related to the recalled products.

The recall follows notification from a third-party supplier that a seasoning containing dry milk powder could be contaminated, prompting the company to act out of an abundance of caution, according to the FDA notice.

Consumers who have purchased the affected chips are advised not to eat them and instead discard the products or return them to the place of purchase for a refund. Retailers have been instructed to remove impacted items from store shelves.

Zapps, known for its Cajun-style kettle chips, and Dirty chips are both brands owned by Utz Quality Foods.

Food recalls are typically issued when a product may pose a health risk due to contamination or mislabeling, and federal agencies advise consumers to check product details carefully to determine whether items they have purchased are affected.

The FDA said it continues to monitor the recall as part of its ongoing food safety oversight.