Salmonella Scare Expands: Walmart and Aldi Frozen Pizzas Recalled Over Contaminated Milk Powder

Key facts

• USDA's FSIS issued a public health alert on April 30, updated May 1, for meat and poultry products with FDA-regulated ingredients possibly contaminated with Salmonella.
• Recalled products include Great Value Thin Crust Chicken Bacon Ranch pizza (17.55 oz, best by 10/9/2026 and 11/7/2026) and Stuffed Crust Chicken Bacon Ranch pizza (23.1 oz, lot codes WC104173, WC104065, WC103793).
• Mama Cozzi's Biscuits Crust Sausage & Cheese Breakfast Pizza and Biscuit Crust Cooked Pork Belly Crumbles, Cooked Bacon Topping, Pepper & Onion Breakfast Pizza, sold at Aldi, are also recalled.
• Other affected items: Pork King Good Sour Cream & Onion Pork Rinds and Culinary Circle Ultra Thin Crust Chicken Bacon Ranch pizza.
• No confirmed illnesses have been reported, but consumers are urged not to eat the products even if thoroughly cooked.
• The contamination originated from a supplier's dry milk powder, which also led Ghirardelli Chocolate Company to voluntarily recall several powdered beverage products in April.
• Salmonella causes symptoms including watery diarrhea (possibly with blood or mucus) appearing 6 hours to 6 days after consumption, and is a leading cause of U.S. foodborne illness hospitalizations and deaths.

Health Alert Widens as Six Products Are Pulled

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has expanded a public health alert to include six products, among them frozen pizzas sold at Walmart and Aldi, over potential salmonella contamination. The alert, first issued on April 30 and updated on May 1, targets meat and poultry items containing a recalled dry milk powder. Consumers who have purchased any of the affected products are strongly advised not to consume them, even if cooked thoroughly, due to the risk of salmonella. The agency stated that it expects additional downstream products to be identified as the ingredient recall progresses.

Walmart and Aldi Pizzas Among Recalled Items

Two Great Value pizzas sold at Walmart are affected: the Thin Crust Chicken Bacon Ranch (17.55 oz, best if used by October 9, 2026 and November 7, 2026) and the Stuffed Crust Chicken Bacon Ranch (23.1 oz, lot codes WC104173, WC104065, WC103793). At Aldi, two Mama Cozzi’s pizzas are recalled: the Biscuits Crust Sausage & Cheese Breakfast Pizza and the Biscuit Crust Cooked Pork Belly Crumbles, Cooked Bacon Topping, Pepper & Onion Breakfast Pizza. Other recalled products include Pork King Good Sour Cream & Onion Pork Rinds and Culinary Circle Ultra Thin Crust Chicken Bacon Ranch pizza. The dry milk powder contamination also prompted Ghirardelli Chocolate Company to voluntarily recall several powdered beverage products in April.

Walmart Responds as Investigation Continues

A Walmart spokesperson stated that the health and safety of customers is “always a top priority.” The company has issued a sales restriction and removed the affected products from impacted stores, and is working with the supplier to investigate the source of contamination. Aldi did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Food Safety and Inspection Service noted that no confirmed cases of illness or adverse reactions have been reported due to consumption of the recalled products. However, the agency continues to monitor the situation.

Salmonella: A Persistent Threat to Food Safety

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies salmonella as a leading cause of foodborne illness in the United States, responsible for numerous hospitalizations and deaths each year. Symptoms typically appear within six hours to six days after consuming contaminated food and include watery diarrhea that may contain blood or mucus. The current recall underscores the complexity of modern food supply chains, where a single contaminated ingredient—in this case, dry milk powder—can affect multiple products across different brands and retailers.

What Consumers Should Do Now

Consumers who have purchased any of the recalled items should discard them immediately or return them to the place of purchase for a refund. The FSIS urges anyone who experiences symptoms of salmonella infection to contact a healthcare provider. As the investigation continues, the agency expects to identify more downstream products. The recall serves as a reminder of the importance of rigorous food safety protocols and the need for vigilance throughout the supply chain.

The bottom line

• The recall covers six products including Great Value and Mama Cozzi's frozen pizzas, Pork King Good pork rinds, and Culinary Circle pizza, all linked to contaminated dry milk powder.
• No illnesses have been reported, but consumers are told not to eat the products even if cooked thoroughly.
• Walmart has removed the products from stores and is investigating with the supplier; Aldi has not commented.
• The contamination also affected Ghirardelli powdered beverages, which were recalled in April.
• Salmonella is a leading cause of foodborne illness in the U.S., with symptoms appearing 6 hours to 6 days after exposure.
• The FSIS expects more products to be identified as the recall progresses.