One of the Biggest Food Recalls Yet Hits 37 Million Pounds

It seems like every week brings another product recall. Sometimes it’s a toy, sometimes it’s a vehicle (or thousands of vehicles), and more often than not, it’s food. But the latest recall making headlines across the country is much bigger than most. This is massive.

We’re talking about nearly 37 million pounds of food being pulled from store shelves.

The recall involves frozen meals sold at several major retailers, including Trader Joe’s and Kroger. Federal safety officials say the products may contain small pieces of glass, which obviously presents a serious safety risk for anyone who might unknowingly eat them.

What's Become A Huge Recall Started Out Relatively Small

Initially, about 3.4 million pounds of frozen Asian-style meals were recalled after consumers reported finding glass in some products. As investigators looked deeper into the issue, the recall expanded dramatically to nearly 37 million pounds of food.

The products were made by Oregon-based Ajinomoto Foods North America and include items like chicken and pork fried rice, ramen, and dumplings sold under several brand names. Those include Ajinomoto, Ling Ling, Tai Pei, Kroger, and Trader Joe’s.

Investigators believe the contamination may have come from a vegetable ingredient, more specifically carrots, used in the meals.

Here's What You Should Be Checking Your Freezers And Fridges For

The affected products were manufactured between October 2024 and February 2026 and were distributed nationwide, meaning the recall could impact households across the country, including right here in Illinois.

The items also have long shelf lives, with some “best by” dates stretching into 2027, which means they could still be sitting in freezers for quite some time.

The recall affects 16 frozen products produced by Ajinomoto Foods North America and sold under brands including Trader Joe’s, Kroger, Ling Ling, Tai Pei and Ajinomoto.

Some of the Trader Joe’s items specifically listed include:

• Trader Joe’s Chicken Fried Rice

  • Best By: 03/04/2026 through 02/10/2027

• Trader Joe’s Vegetable Fried Rice

  • Best By: 02/28/2026 through 11/19/2026

• Trader Joe’s Japanese Style Fried Rice

  • Best By: 02/28/2026 through 11/14/2026

• Trader Joe’s Chicken Shu Mai (dumplings)

  • Best By: 03/13/2026 through 10/23/2026

Other products included in the broader recall list include items like:

• Ajinomoto Tokyo Style Shoyu Ramen with Chicken

• Ajinomoto Authentic Japanese Style Fried Rice

• Kroger Chinese Inspirations Chicken Fried Rice

• Ling Ling Yakitori Chicken Fried Rice

• Tai Pei Chicken Fried Rice

All recalled products carry USDA establishment numbers P-18356, P-18356B, or P-47971 inside the USDA inspection mark.