California Health Dept. reports a massive recall of nearly 37 million pounds of frozen foods from Ajinomoto Foods, sold at Trader Joe's

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH), in coordination with federal authorities, has highlighted a massive nationwide recall of nearly 37 million pounds of frozen foods produced by Ajinomoto Foods North America, with many items sold under popular brands including Trader Joe's. The recall, expanded dramatically in early March 2026, stems from potential contamination with foreign material—specifically small pieces of glass—posing a serious choking or injury hazard.The issue first surfaced in late February 2026, when Ajinomoto initiated a recall of about 3.37 million pounds of frozen, not-ready-to-eat chicken fried rice products after multiple consumer complaints reported finding glass fragments. An investigation traced the likely source to a vegetable ingredient—carrots—used in processing, which may have introduced the contamination during production at the company's Portland, Oregon facility.By March 3, 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced a major expansion. The recall now covers approximately 36,987,575 pounds in total (with the addition of roughly 33.6 million more pounds), encompassing 16 different ready-to-eat (RTE) and not-ready-to-eat (NRTE) products. These include various chicken and pork fried rice varieties, ramen dishes, and shu mai dumplings, manufactured between October 21, 2024, and February 26, 2026.Affected products were distributed nationwide and even exported to Canada and Mexico. They bear establishment numbers such as P-18356, P-18356B, or P-47971 inside the USDA mark of inspection. Best-by dates generally range from late February 2026 through mid-August 2027.Trader Joe's, a major retailer impacted, quickly responded by recalling specific frozen items linked to the Ajinomoto production on March 3, 2026. The chain urged customers to check their freezers and either discard the products or return them for a full refund. The affected Trader Joe's items include:Chicken Fried Rice — Best-by dates from March 4, 2026, through February 10, 2027 Vegetable Fried Rice — Best-by dates from February 28, 2026, through November 19, 2026 Japanese Style Fried Rice — Best-by dates from February 28, 2026, through November 14, 2026 Chicken Shu Mai — Best-by dates from March 13, 2026, through October 23, 2026 Other brands involved in the broader recall include Ajinomoto, Kroger (including private-label items like Chinese Inspirations Chicken Fried Rice), Ling Ling, and Tai Pei, with products such as Tokyo Style Shoyu Ramen with Chicken, Authentic Japanese Style Fried Rice, and various shumai dumplings.No injuries or illnesses have been reported to date, according to FSIS and company statements, but officials classified the recall as Class I—indicating a high risk where consumption could cause serious health consequences. The CDPH has advised California consumers to inspect their frozen food stockpiles, especially Asian-inspired ready meals purchased in recent months, and to avoid eating any matching products.Ajinomoto Foods North America emphasized that the action was taken "out of an abundance of caution." Consumers with questions can contact the company directly or visit the FSIS website for the full product list, label images, and recall details. In the meantime, the episode serves as a stark reminder of how quickly a minor production glitch can snowball into one of the largest frozen food recalls in recent memory, affecting millions of households across the country. If you've got any of these items lurking in your freezer, now's the time to toss them—better safe than sorry.

California Health Dept. reports a massive recall of nearly 37 million pounds of frozen foods from Ajinomoto Foods, sold at Trader Joe's