Trader Joe's Fried Rice Recall Expands as 33.4 Million More Pounds of Frozen Food Sold Nationwide Recalled Due to Possible Glass Contamination

Several frozen food products sold by Trader Joe's and other grocery retailers have been recalled due to possible glass contamination

NEED TO KNOW

• The total recall amounts to "approximately 33,617,045" pounds of frozen food

• "Should a recall become necessary, we waste no time in providing our customers details," a spokesperson for Trader Joe's tells PEOPLE

A recall initiated due to possible glass contamination in frozen fried rice products sold by Trader Joe's has now been expanded to include even more frozen foods.

On Tuesday, March 3, the American grocery store chain shared apress releasealerting customers of a broader recall associated with frozen products produced by Ajinomoto Foods North America.

"We are recalling certain Trader Joe's frozen products because of the potential that they may be contaminated with foreign material—specifically, glass," the statement read.

The four affected frozen foods sold by Trader Joe's include: Chicken Fried Rice- Best By Dates 03/04/2026 through 02/10/2027; Vegetable Fried Rice- Best By Dates 02/28/2026 through 11/19/2026; Japanese Style Fried Rice- Best By Dates 02/28/2026 through 11/14/2026; and Chicken Shu Mai - Best By Dates 03/13/2026 through 10/23/2026.

"At Trader Joe's, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our customers and Crew Members. With this in mind, we do the daily work to make certain our products meet our stringent food safety expectations. We don't take any chances when it comes to product safety and quality," a spokesperson for the company told PEOPLE on Wednesday, March 4.

According to the statement, Trader Joe's, which has a close relationship with its vendors, chose to "err on the side of caution" to be "proactive in addressing issues."

"We voluntarily take action quickly, aggressively investigating potential problems and removing the product from sale if there is any doubt about its safety or quality," the statement said, in part, adding, "We value information and clear communication. Should a recall become necessary, we waste no time in providing our customers details."

Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc. alsoreleased a statementon March 3, confirming that the company expanded its Feb. 19, 2026, recall of frozen not-ready-to-eat (NRTE) chicken products that may be contaminated with foreign material, specifically glass.

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The company stated that "approximately 33,617,045 additional pounds of various ready-to-eat (RTE) and NRTE chicken and pork fried rice, ramen, and shu mai dumpling products, for a combined total of 36,987,575 pounds subject to recall."

Possible contaminated items were sold under the brand names Ajinomoto, Kroger, Ling Ling, Tai Pei, and Trader Joe's, with some being exported to Canada and Mexico.

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The issue was brought to Ajinomoto's attention when the company began receiving "multiple consumer complaints involving glass found" in their products.

"Out of an abundance of caution, we have expanded on our voluntary recall for certain frozen products that may contain glass. There have been no injuries or adverse reactions to date. We are committed to maintaining the highest safety standards, and we continue to work closely with the USDA," an Ajinomoto Foods North America spokesperson told PEOPLE in a statement. "For recall details, consumers should visitwww.fsis.usda.gov/recallsor call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854."

"We have expanded on our voluntary recall for certain frozen products that may contain glass. There have been no injuries or adverse reactions to date," Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc. said in a statement obtained byABC NewsWednesday. "We are committed to maintaining the highest safety standards, and we continue to work closely with the USDA. For recall details, consumers should visitwww.fsis.usda.gov/recallsor call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854."

Anyone who has purchased the recalled products is advised to discard them immediately or return them for a full refund.

PEOPLE has reached out to Ajinomoto Foods North America for comment.

Read the original article onPeople

byVaclav Urich

in

March 05, 2026

Trader Joe's Fried Rice Recall Expands as 33.4 Million More Pounds of Frozen Food Sold Nationwide Recalled Due to Possible Glass Contamination

Several frozen food products sold by Trader Joe's and other grocery retailers have been recalled due to possible gla...

Read More

Wendy’s Has Now Joined The “Burger Battle” After McDonald’s CEO’s Viral Disaster

The internet witnessed a fast-food chain reaction afterMcDonald'striggered aburger battleonline.

A video ofMcDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinskichomping down on a burger went viral online, prompting competitors likeWendy's, Burger King,andA&Wto join the fast-food tasting trend.

And since social media is always hungry for jokes, netizens wasted no time in piling on the shade.

Fast food giants like Wendy's, Burger King, and A&W have spoken after McDonald's unwittingly triggered a burger battle

Image credits:Oleg Ivanov/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)

It all started with McDonald's pushing their CEO Chris Kempczinski in front of the camera to taste-test their Big Arch burger.

"I love this product. It is so good. I'm going to do a tasting right now, but I'm going to eat this for my lunch, just so you know," he said in the video.

Image credits:chrisk_mcd

After the video went viral, Kempczinski got theinternet's full meme treatment, as many viewers felt he seemed awkward and fake.

Some also found Kempczinski's review less than convincing because he referred to the burger as a "product."

Fellow burger giants refused to watch from the sidelines as the McDonald's video made the rounds.

Burger King was among thefirst rivals to jump on the trend, with the chain's president, Tom Curtis, tasting the new and improved Whopper.

Burger King was among the first rivals to jump on the trend after Kempczinski's video

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The global chain said they had filmed the video in February to talk about their elevated Whopper.

Curtis was captured directly taking feedback from a customer before hitting the kitchen to watch thesignature burger being made.

The Burger King president then took a big bite of the burger and said, "Only one thing missing. A napkin."

"Now THAT'S a man bite," a social media user commented on the video. "Take notes McDonald's."

Wendy's president Pete Suerken was captured sinking his teeth into the brand's iconic Baconator

Image credits:Sean Lin/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)

Alsojoining the burger warswas Wendy's president Pete Suerken, who was captured sinking his teeth into the brand's iconic Baconator.

"Lots of chatter this week about burgers," the brand wrote alongside the March 4 video.

Image credits:The Wendy's Company

"Thought we'd remind everyone what fresh, never frozen tastes like. Our U.S. President Pete Suerken knows a burger that's worth a second bite," the caption went on to say.

"What's your favorite way to eat a Wendy's hamburger?"

Image credits:The Wendy's Company

Image credits:Wendys

Suerken was seen walking around a Wendy's kitchen and making theirBaconator from scratch.

Repeating the brand's famous expression, he said, "fresh, never frozen," as he flipped the patties on the grill.

"Now THAT'S a man bite. Take notes McDonald's," one netizen commented on the rival videos

Image credits:The Wendy's Company

Suerken then went over to the ice cream machine to get himself a Frosty and said, "Is this set up today? Oh wait, our machines are always working."

The remark seemed to be a dig at McDonald's, whose broken machines often leave customers disappointed when they ask for ice cream.

Suerken then sat down in front of a tray with his fries, drink, and a chocolate Frosty.

"I've been waiting for this all day," he said while unwrapping the Baconator in his hands.

"Wendy's fresh, never-frozen beef, our Applewood smoked bacon, our brand-new bun, our square burger cooked on a flat grill," he said. "Amazing. Absolutely wonderful."

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A&W joined the chat with a direct parody of Chris Kempczinski's taste-testing video

Image credits:awcanada/chrisk_mcd/burgerking

Meanwhile, A&Wthrew shade at McDonald'swith a more direct parody of Chris Kempczinski's video.

Starring in the spoof was actor Allen Lulu, who has been the face of the Canadian burger-maker for years.

Lulu was filmed tasting the Teen Burger and seemingly mocking Kempczinski's review of the Big Arch.

Image credits:awcanada

"We love this product, which most people call a burger. I don't even know how to attack it," he said in the tongue-in-cheek video.

"It has a unique bread that some would call a bun," he sarcastically said. He went on to describe "the lettuce, which is green, and the pickles, which make it taste pickle-y."

"And the teen sauce. The iconic teen sauce," he added.

Lulu wrapped up the video with a friendly invite to Kempczinski to join him for lunch.

"Just you, me, and a couple of Teen Burgers," he said. "See you at lunch, Chris. See you at A&W."

"Why are they all the same person? Is there a CEO factory we don't know about?" one commented online

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byVaclav Urich

in

March 05, 2026

Wendy’s Has Now Joined The “Burger Battle” After McDonald’s CEO’s Viral Disaster

The internet witnessed a fast-food chain reaction afterMcDonald'striggered aburger battleonline. A video ...

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Denmark to consider if gastronomy is art as New Nordic cuisine movement grows

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Imagine dining on "edible plastic" made from algae and collagen from fish skins. While you ingest the dish, ocean-borne plastic pollution seemingly floats above you, projected across the restaurant's huge domed ceiling. It's an experience — and dish — inspired by large garbage patches found in our seas.

Denmark Gastronomy Art

InDenmark, chefRasmus Munkdoes not offer dishes at the Alchemist restaurant. Instead, he whisks guests on an "immersive dining experience" combining performance, music, projections in its planetarium-like domed dining room, and, of course, food.

Opened in 2019 at the site of a former industrial harbor area in the Danish capital, Copenhagen, Alchemist was named the world's fifth-best restaurant in 2025. It has two Michelin stars, signifying excellence in cuisine, out of a maximum three possible for one establishment.

Guests at this restaurant can experience 50 "impressions," most of them edible. Dining there means trying various foods — a large eyeball dish featuring caviar and codfish eye gel, nettle butterflies served atop cheese and artichoke leaves — over many hours, in a slow process that invites reflection on the food and surrounding projections.

"We convey messages through our food, our food is our medium of expressing ourselves," said Munk, whose dishes also explore issues such as state surveillance and animal welfare.

Parliament will decide if gastronomy can be an art form

Once known for bacon, herring, and rye bread, the Scandinavian country's cuisine has been in ascendancy since 2003 when René Redzepi's world-beating Noma first burst onto the scene, preaching a "New Nordic" philosophy that celebrated foraging, fermenting and Scandinavia's seasonal larder.

Emboldened by the success of the New Nordic movement, Denmark's Michelin-starred restaurants are now asking a new question: Can gastronomy be art?

Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt said in January that Denmark would explore whether gastronomy could be formally recognized as an art form. If realized, it could become the first nation to legally place cooking — or at least the highest versions of it — on a similar pedestal to painting.

It is not clear how the culture ministry's plans will be impacted by the country's March 24general election.

Munk, 34, who says he spent almost a decade honing his "artistic practices," has been a driving force behind the move and described it as a "big milestone."

"I don't think all food is art… I think the craftsmanship needs to be on the highest level," he said, adding that ultimately it is a political decision what gets called art and what not and that, for now, "this is a closed society for chefs."

The change, still in its exploratory phase, would eventually require a vote in Denmark's 179-seat parliament to reclassify gastronomy from craft to art.

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It could also make the country's chefs eligible for state subsidies and funding from private foundations — like writers and musicians — to get their projects off the ground.

A dining destination

Other nations with famed food cultures, including France and Japan, haven't made similar moves. Last year, UNESCO grantedItalian cookingcultural heritage status.

Denmark has previously expanded what constitutes art and culture, for example by awarding a lifetime national arts honor to heavy metal act King Diamond. Last year, the Sonning Prize, Denmark's largest cultural award, was awarded to French gastronomic artist and chemist Hervé This.

The Nordic nation of six million people has become a dining destination, home to 37 Michelin-starred restaurants, including Copenhagen's two-star Kadeau, which was opened in 2011 by head chef and creative director Nicolai Nørregaard.

"I approach it like I would approach making a piece of art, like an artwork or a piece of writing," said Nørregaard. "It's about getting sort of an experience."

The 46-year-old head chef, whose recipes reference the seasonal flavors of Danish island Bornholm, said such recognition would be a "big step."

"To acknowledge that this can also be looked upon as art… that's what's important for me," he added.

'It doesn't make any sense'

But not everyone, even some within the industry, are toasting the idea.

Nick Curtin, the American executive chef and owner of Copenhagen's Michelin-starred Alouette restaurant, argues art and gastronomy are fundamentally different.

"Art's sole purpose is expression. It's to evoke emotion. Food must be consumed," he said. "(Art) can evoke disgust or disappointment or pain or sorrow or joy or longing. Food actually can't express all of those things. It can, but it shouldn't."

Some in Denmark's art scene have also expressed concern such a change might see greater competition for funding between chefs and more traditional artists like painters.

Holger Dahl, the architecture and art critic at Denmark's 277-year-old Berlingske newspaper, is more blunt: "I think it's quite silly, there's no use, it doesn't make any sense."

He added: "It's a little bit like a bicycle and a car — they have round wheels, they'll take you from one point to another point, but it's not like a very good bicycle all of a sudden turns into a car. It doesn't happen."

byVaclav Urich

in

March 05, 2026

Denmark to consider if gastronomy is art as New Nordic cuisine movement grows

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Imagine dining on "edible plastic" made from algae and collagen from fish skins. Wh...

Read More