Trader Joe's Instant Cold Brew Recalled For Potential Glass Contamination

Before whipping up another homemade iced caramel macchiato or any other iced coffee drink, check your brand of instant coffee. Yesterday, Trader Joe's announced that it was recalling its Trader Joe's Instant Cold Brew Coffee because the coffee manufacturer had notified the retailer that the product may contain glass. The product carries SKU# 67436, and the affected lots have EXP date codes of 6/13/2024, 11/26/2024, and 12/30/2024.

Trader Joe's said that all the instant coffee affected by the recall has been removed from shelves and that customers with a jar of the affected Instant Cold Brew Coffee should not consume it. Customers should either discard the coffee or return it to any Trader Joe's for a full refund of the purchase price. Trader Joe's said no injuries from the glass contamination had been reported as of the time the recall was issued, and the grocery store chain apologized to its customers for any inconvenience.

We typically think of food contamination from bacterial sources like E. coli, salmonella, and norovirus, but food is also considered contaminated if it contains food allergens that haven't been declared on its label or foreign objects like glass. As an inedible food contaminant, glass is so dangerous that the United States Department of Agriculture restricts the use of glass in areas where food is manufactured unless the use of that glass is absolutely necessary, according to the Small Business Chronicle. If glass is ingested, even small pieces of it can cause internal lacerations in the throat, stomach, or digestive system, which can cause serious injury or even death. 

Possible glass contamination is just one of the reasons it's so important to heed retailer and manufacturer product recalls if there's a chance you've purchased a recalled item. Trader Joe's urges customers with questions about its Instant Cold Brew Coffee recall to call Trader Joe's Customer Relations at 626-599-3817, Monday through Friday, between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. PT. Customers can also contact email Trader Joe's through a form on their website.