Frozen meals from Trader Joe’s, Kroger, and Walmart were recalled over glass contamination, but the ingredient investigators are blaming is surprising

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued an expanded recall alert for frozen meals sold at Walmart, Kroger, and Trader Joe’s due to glass contamination. Nearly 37 million pounds of food across 16 different products may be affected. Shoppers are being urged to check their freezers right away.

The affected products were made between October 21, 2024, and February 26, 2026, with best-by dates running from February 28, 2026, through August 19, 2027. According to The Sun, FSIS has said it is “concerned” that some consumers may still have these products at home without knowing about the recall.

The company at the center of the recall is Ajinomoto Foods North America, which produces frozen chicken and pork fried rice, ramen, and shu mai products. The issue came to light after the company began receiving “multiple consumer complaints involving glass found in products.” The USDA investigation found that carrots were “the likely source of the glass contamination.”

Carrots as a source of glass in food may sound strange, but the recall list is wide and worth checking carefully

The recalled products are sold under several brand names, including Ajinomoto, Kroger, Ling Ling, Tai Pei, and Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s has been in the news lately for other reasons too, a French cheese dividing Trader Joe’s shoppers has sparked debate over its unusual production process.

Some of the specific recalled items include Trader Joe’s Chicken Shu Mai, Trader Joe’s Chicken Fried Rice with stir fried rice, Ling Ling Restaurant Style Fried Rice Yakitori Chicken, and several Ajinomoto Japanese-Style Fried Rice varieties such as Ajinomoto Japanese-Style Yakitori Chicken Fried Rice Char Grilled Chicken and Ajinomoto Japanese-Style Kurobuta Pork Fried Rice made with Berkshire pork.

Ramen dishes are also on the list, including Ajinomoto Tokyo Style Shoyu (Soy Sauce) Ramen With Chicken, Ling Ling Tokyo-Style Ramen Shoyu Chicken, Ajinomoto De Style Tokyo Ramen À La Shoyu, and Ajinomoto Fried Rice Authentic Japanese Style. Tai Pei products affected include the Ultimate Fried Rice and Tai Pei Chicken Fried Rice, along with Kroger Chinese Inspirations Chicken Fried Rice.

The USDA alert is clear: “Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them.” You should either throw them away or return them to the store for a refund. No injuries have been reported so far, but anyone who thinks they may have eaten a contaminated product should contact their doctor.

Trader Joe’s shoppers have had other unexpected product experiences recently too, one customer made a dirty martini with Trader Joe’s stuffed olives and quickly realized something was off. To identify recalled items, look for establishment numbers P-18356, P-18356B, or P-47971 inside the USDA mark of inspection on the packaging. 

These products were distributed to stores across the country, and some Ajinomoto items were also exported to Canada and Mexico. This expanded recall follows an initial alert that was first issued in mid-February 2026, showing that the problem has grown in scale since it was first reported.