A sprawling food safety recall has swept across American freezer aisles, with nearly 37 million pounds of frozen fried rice, dumplings, and ramen products pulled from shelves after consumers discovered glass fragments inside their meals. The contamination, traced to carrots used in production, affects 16 products manufactured by Ajinomoto Foods North America and sold under some of the country’s most recognizable grocery brands.
The recall, which began modestly in February with just two products totaling around 3.3 million pounds, has ballooned into one of the largest food safety actions in recent memory. Federal officials say the affected products, bearing establishment numbers P-18356, P-18356B, or P-47971 inside the USDA mark of inspection, were made between October 2024 and early 2026, with best-by dates running from late February 2026 through August 2027.
A Contamination Problem That Grew Quickly
What started as a targeted alert focused on Trader Joe’s Chicken Fried Rice and Ajinomoto’s Yakitori Chicken With Japanese-Style Fried Rice has since expanded dramatically. According to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, officials first became aware of the problem after multiple consumers reported finding glass in their food. An investigation identified contaminated carrots as the likely source of the foreign material.
The March 9 update from the USDA broadened the recall’s scope significantly, removing previous restrictions tied to specific best-by dates. All products bearing the listed lot codes are now considered affected, regardless of when they were purchased or when they expire. The full recall now encompasses products from Ajinomoto, Kroger, Ling Ling, Tai Pei, and Trader Joe’s, including chicken fried rice, pork fried rice, ramen, and chicken shu mai dumplings.
Trader Joe’s separately announced it was also recalling its Vegetable Fried Rice and Japanese Style Fried Rice as a precautionary measure, with the decision framed as being consistent with the company’s broader commitment to proactive safety practices.
Health Risks and What Consumers Should Do
Though no injuries have been officially confirmed, health officials are urging consumers to take the contamination seriously. According to James E. Rogers, PhD, director of product and food safety research and testing at Consumer Reports, glass fragments in food are capable of causing “mouth lacerations, broken teeth, digestive issues, or choking” if accidentally consumed, risks that make swift action essential.
Ajinomoto Foods, which confirmed the voluntary nature of the recall, said in a statement that it “continues to work closely with the USDA” and that no adverse reactions have been reported. The company has set up a consumer helpline at 855-742-5011, while Trader Joe’s customers can reach its customer relations team at 626-599-3817, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET.
Anyone who has one of the recalled products in their freezer is advised not to eat it. The items should be discarded or returned to the retailer for a full refund. Consumers who believe they may have been injured are encouraged to contact a healthcare provider promptly.
