The Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued a recall for over 61,000 pounds of Trader Joe's Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings due to potential contamination with hard plastic. The dumplings, produced by CJ Foods Manufacturing Beaumont Corp. in California, may contain foreign materials, specifically hard plastic from a permanent marker pen. Consumers reported finding the plastic in the dumplings, prompting the recall.

The affected products were produced on December 7, 2023, and can be identified by their side box labels with lot codes 03.07.25.C1-1 and 03.07.25.C1-2. While no related illnesses or injuries have been reported, FSIS is urging consumers to check their freezers for the recalled dumplings. Trader Joe's has advised customers to either dispose of the impacted products or return them to any store location for a full refund.

A spokesperson for CJ Foods Manufacturing Beaumont Corp. stated that the company is investigating the issue, emphasizing that customer safety is their top priority. Foreign object contamination, such as plastic, metal fragments, and bits of bugs, is a leading cause of food recalls in the United States. The recall serves as a reminder of the importance of thorough quality control measures in food production to ensure consumer safety.