In a somewhat bizarre mishap, Trader Joe's has issued a recall for over 61,000 pounds of its chicken soup dumplings due to plastic contamination. The plastic pieces, thought to be from a permanent marker, led CJ Foods Manufacturing Beaumont Corporation to pull back approximately 61,839 pounds of the frozen delicacy after receiving customer complaints, as detailed by Houston Chronicle.

The steamed dumplings, a popular comfort food among Trader Joe's clientele were produced on December 7, 2023 and are readily identified by lot codes 03.07.25.C1-1 and 03.07.25.C1-2; these codes can be located on the side of the 6-ounce box which contains plastic trays of six pieces each and the USDA is concerned that these products may still be lurking in consumers' freezers posing a potential health risk if consumed, so they encourage customers to either throw it away or return it to their purchase point.

While no injuries from ingesting these plastic-contaminated dumplings have been reported, both the food manufacturer and the supermarket are taking no chances with consumer safety, issuing a clear directive through a CNET report: "Please discard the product or return it to any Trader Joe's for a full refund."

In a statement posted on their website also given to ClickOnDetroit, Trader Joe's reassured their shoppers, and advised them to contact Trader Joe's Customer Relations for inquiries related to the recall or sent them an email, punctuating their commitment to customer safety and satisfaction despite the unfortunate and unexpected recall situation.