Trader Joe's Shoppers Warned About Dumplings Tainted With "Hard Plastic"

A row of red shopping carts are lined up, ready for use, behind bales of hay and potted chrysanthemums at a Trader Joe's grocery store — KenWiedemann / iStock

Now may be the time to get a head start on spring cleaning, particularly as it pertains to purging your kitchen freezer. On March 2, CJ Foods Manufacturing Beaumont Corporation issued a nationwide recall of its steamed chicken soup dumpling products—which are exclusively sold at Trader Joe's—after several customers claimed to have found "foreign materials" in their frozen dumplings, per a notice posted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

The release states that the food manufacturer will be pulling approximately 61,839 pounds of Trader Joe's 6 oz. Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings from freezer aisles effective immediately. CJ Foods Manufacturing Beaumont Corporation explains that its frozen soup dumplings "may be contaminated with foreign materials, specifically hard plastic from a permanent marker pen."

The recall is classified as a "High-Class I" health hazard situation. The government agency considers this recall level life-threatening, as there is "reasonable probability" that consuming a Class I product "will cause health problems or death," per its website.

As of this reporting, CJ Foods Manufacturing Beaumont Corporation has not received any confirmed reports of injury or adverse reactions.

But this isn't the first time Trader Joe's shoppers have complained about finding foreign objects in their food. In 2023, the retailer recalled multigrain crackers, cookies, broccoli cheddar soup, and cooked falafel after customers came across pieces of metal, rocks, and insects in their products, as USA Today reported at the time.

"Modern supply chains are longer and more complex than ever before, which makes it increasingly more difficult for companies to ensure the quality of every single product they sell. With so many recent recalls due to things like products potentially containing rocks, metal, or insects, it suggests that Trader Joe's needs to take a closer look at their suppliers," Kaitlin Wowak, a professor at the University of Notre Dame, told USA Today of the reoccurring issue.

Most recently, Trader Joe's pulled its Chicken Enchiladas Verde, Cilantro Salad Dressing, Elote Chopped Salad Kit, and Southwest Salad off shelves, amid the growing Listeria outbreak. The products in question contained cheese supplied by an outside vendor, who had come under fire for distributing products potentially contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, per a notice posted by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

USDA image of Trader Joe's steamed chicken soup dumplings after recall — USDA

As for the most recent recall, the FSIS states that the potentially contaminated food products were produced on Dec. 7, 2023, and sold at Trader Joe's locations nationwide. Trader Joe's Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings, which can be heated via the microwave or a stovetop steamer, come with six pieces per box.

CJ Foods Manufacturing Beaumont Corporation says customers can verify whether their products are impacted by the recall by referencing the lot code—"03.07.25.C1-1" or "03.07.25.C1-2"— and/or establishment number—"P-46009"—which is stamped "inside the USDA mark of inspection."

The FSIS is strongly urging customers to discard any products that may be contaminated or to return them to their neighborhood Trader Joe's. Customers with questions can call the CJ Foods Manufacturing Beaumont Corporation's Consumer Experience Department at 800-544-6855.

Emily Weaver Emily is a NYC-based freelance entertainment and lifestyle writer — though, she’ll never pass up the opportunity to talk about women’s health and sports (she thrives during the Olympics).Read moreFiled UnderFood • News • Recall • RetailSources referenced in this article