Frozen Food Recall Hits 37M Pounds

The recall originated on February 19, 2026, with a much smaller scope, involving approximately 3.4 million pounds of frozen chicken fried rice from Ajinomoto Foods North America. The initial recall was triggered by four consumer complaints of finding glass in the product. This led to a broader investigation by the Portland, Oregon-based company. On March 3, 2026, the recall was massively expanded by an additional 33.6 million pounds, bringing the total to nearly 37 million pounds of various frozen products. The expansion now includes 16 different ready-to-eat and not-ready-to-eat items, including pork and chicken fried rice, ramen, and shu mai dumplings. The investigation by Ajinomoto Foods North America determined that a vegetable ingredient, specifically carrots, was the likely source of the glass contamination. This finding prompted the company to recall all products that used the contaminated ingredient, leading to the significant increase in the recall's volume. In addition to Trader Joe's and Kroger, the recall encompasses products sold under the brand names Ajinomoto, Ling Ling, and Tai Pei. The affected items were produced between October 21, 2024, and February 26, 2026, and shipped to retail locations nationwide, with some products also exported to Canada and Mexico. While no injuries have been confirmed in connection with this recall, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service has expressed concern that some of the recalled products may still be in consumers' freezers. Consumers are advised to either discard the products or return them to the place of purchase. For context, this recall is one of the largest in recent U.S. history based on the sheer weight of the products involved. It surpasses the 2002 Pilgrim's Pride deli meat recall of 27.4 million pounds and a 2002 ConAgra ground beef recall of 19 million pounds. However, the largest meat recall in U.S. history remains the 2008 Hallmark/Westland recall of 143 million pounds of beef.