Trader Joe's Rice Recall Expands
An Oregon supplier recalled nearly 37 million pounds of Trader Joe's and Kroger brand fried rice due to possible glass contamination. The massive recall affects frozen food products sold nationwide and has made national headlines.
The recall, initiated by Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc., a Portland, Oregon establishment, expanded from an initial 3.4 million pounds of frozen chicken fried rice to include a staggering 33 million more pounds of various products. This brings the combined total to nearly 37 million pounds of frozen foods pulled from shelves. The expanded recall now encompasses not only fried rice but also ramen and shu mai dumpling products. The affected items were sold under several brand names, including Ajinomoto, Kroger, Ling Ling, Tai Pei, and Trader Joe's. An investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) pointed to carrots as the likely source of the glass contamination. The issue was first discovered after the company received several consumer complaints about finding glass in the products. The recalled products were produced between October 21, 2024, and February 26, 2026, and shipped to retail locations nationwide, as well as to Canada and Mexico. The "best by" dates on the affected items range from February 28, 2026, through August 19, 2027. Despite the massive volume of recalled products and the potential hazard, there have been no confirmed reports of injuries related to the consumption of these items. The FSIS has classified this as a Class I recall, indicating a "reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death." Consumers are urged not to eat any of the recalled products. They should either be thrown away or returned to the store where they were purchased for a refund.
