MorningStar Farms Recalls Two Plant-Based Products for Plastic Pieces

MorningStar Farms has recalled two frozen plant-based products after customers reported finding plastic pieces in the food. The Buffalo Chik’n Nuggets and Hot & Spicy Sausage Patties were distributed across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Costa Rica.

MorningStar Farms announced the voluntary recall on June 18, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration posted the notice on its site on June 22. The company, owned by Mars after its 2025 absorption of Kellanova, said the action followed customer complaints and that no injuries had been reported as of the recall date.

What the Recall Covers

MorningStar Farms announced the voluntary recall on June 18, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published the notice on its site on June 22. The action covers two plant-based products: Buffalo Chik’n Nuggets sold in 10.5-ounce bags and Hot & Spicy Sausage Patties sold in 8-ounce bags. No other MorningStar Farms items are part of the recall, per the company announcement. Consumers can identify recalled bags by their UPC codes and “better if used before” dates, which the FDA notice lists in full.

Distribution covered grocery freezer aisles across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Costa Rica, the three markets the company announcement names. The “better if used before” dates listed by the FDA run into July 2027. Anyone who still has the product in a home freezer should check the date code on the bag before eating it. The recall affects only the specific UPC codes and date stamps listed in the FDA notice, not all bags of the two products.

The Buffalo Chik’n Nuggets are a plant-based take on buffalo-style chicken nuggets, breaded and sold in the freezer section. The Hot & Spicy Sausage Patties are a meatless breakfast-style product sold in patty form. Both are part of MorningStar Farms’ plant-based product line, distributed to grocery stores across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Costa Rica.

The Mars Parent Behind the Recall

MorningStar Farms sits inside Mars, Incorporated, the family-owned food and pet-care conglomerate that absorbed Kellanova in 2025. The recall press release was filed through the Kellanova newsroom on June 18. The announcement was datelined Chicago, where MorningStar Farms is headquartered.

Mars describes itself in the press release as a $65bn+ business built on combined Mars and Kellanova 2025 net sales. The same release lists brands including Pringles, Cheez-It, and Ben’s Original, plus pet-care names like Royal Canin and Pedigree. MorningStar Farms’ plant-based meat alternatives make up a smaller brand footprint than those snacks within the Mars portfolio. The press release also names the company’s Mars Five Principles, with Quality and Responsibility listed as two of the five.

What Consumers Should Do Right Now

The company’s instruction is simple: do not eat the product, throw the bag away, and call for a refund. MorningStar Farms said consumers who purchased an affected item should discard it and contact the company for a full refund through its Consumer Affairs line.

That line is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday, at 800-962-0120, or by text at 877-453-5837. Anyone with a recalled bag should also check their freezer for matching UPC codes and date stamps before serving the food, since the contamination is not visible from the outside of the package.

For shoppers who bought the products in bulk, the recall covers only the two UPC codes and five “better if used before” dates listed in the FDA notice. Other MorningStar Farms items, including the broader Chik’n Nuggets line, are not part of the recall. Mars’ full statement to PEOPLE said no other MorningStar Farms brand products are affected by the recall.

How the Recall Was Filed

The MorningStar Farms action is filed as a voluntary recall, the standard format for company-initiated food safety actions. Voluntary recalls are initiated by the company itself once it identifies a problem. The FDA, posting the announcement on its recalls portal, notes that it “does not endorse either the product or the company” when it carries a voluntary notice.

For MorningStar Farms, the trigger was customer complaints about plastic in the food, per a Mars spokesperson quoted by NBC Chicago. Mars said it “moved quickly to investigate and identify any foods produced that might be impacted” and that it “enhanced our quality control procedures to prevent a similar situation occurring in the future.” The FDA notice, posted on June 22, lists the recall reason in identical language to the Mars press release. Both documents carry the same UPC codes, sizes, and date codes without deviation. Mars told PEOPLE that no other MorningStar Farms brand products are affected by the recall.

The 2026 Pattern of Freezer Aisle Recalls

Foreign-material contamination has hit multiple freezer brands in 2026, not just MorningStar Farms. Farm Rich recently recalled more than 6,000 cases of Pizza Cheese Crunchers over possible metal fragments, though those products went to foodservice providers rather than grocery shoppers. The pattern has now shown up in three separate plant-based and conventional freezer brands this year.

Earlier in 2026, Nestlé USA recalled select Lean Cuisine and Stouffer’s frozen meals after reports of a wood-like material in the food. HelloFresh pulled ready-made meals in October 2025 over possible Listeria contamination tied to a spinach ingredient.

• Recalled varieties in this notice: 2 (Buffalo Chik’n Nuggets, Hot & Spicy Sausage Patties)
• Distribution: United States, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica
• Mars combined 2025 net sales: $65bn+
• Farm Rich Pizza Cheese Crunchers cases pulled in 2026: more than 6,000
• “Better if used before” dates on recalled MorningStar Farms bags: July 5 to July 8, 2027

Three separate recalls in two months share a single root cause category, foreign-material contamination. None of the three companies has named a shared thread between the cases. Each has run its own investigation and quality-control review.

What links the three cases is the freezer aisle, not a common supplier or production partner. None of the three recalls has reported a confirmed illness tied to its contamination. The MorningStar Farms recall is the first 2026 case to name plastic as the contaminant. The other two, Farm Rich and Nestlé, name metal and a wood-like material respectively.

What the Notice Leaves Out

The FDA recall notice and the Mars press release leave several basic facts unstated. Neither document identifies the production site for the contaminated batches, the size or material of the plastic pieces, or the total number of bags pulled. Mars told NBC Chicago only that the recall covers a “limited number” of the two varieties, without quantifying the volume. The recall notice classifies the contamination reason as “possible plastic pieces in the food,” with no further description of the contaminant.

Mars also has not said how the contamination was discovered beyond the broad phrase “customer complaints,” or whether the plastic is the same type and source in every reported case. The recall header on the FDA site lists the same wording, “possible plastic pieces in the food,” as the company announcement. No injuries have been reported in connection with the contamination as of June 22.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which MorningStar Farms products are recalled?

The recall covers two plant-based varieties: Buffalo Chik’n Nuggets in 10.5-ounce bags and Hot & Spicy Sausage Patties in 8-ounce bags. MorningStar Farms said no other products in its lineup are affected.

How do I tell if my bag is part of the recall?

Check the UPC code and the “better if used before” date printed on the package. Buffalo Chik’n Nuggets carry UPC 000 28989 10110 5 with dates of July 7 or July 8, 2027. Hot & Spicy Sausage Patties carry UPC 000 28989 10094 8 with dates of July 5, July 6, or July 7, 2027.

What should I do with a recalled bag?

Do not eat the product. MorningStar Farms instructs consumers to discard the bag and contact the company for a full refund through Consumer Affairs, reachable Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern at 800-962-0120 or by text at 877-453-5837.

Has anyone gotten sick from the plastic pieces?

The recall notice does not report any injuries connected to the contamination. Mars, the parent company, told NBC Chicago it acted after receiving customer complaints about plastic in the food.

Who actually makes MorningStar Farms?

MorningStar Farms is owned by Mars, Incorporated, the family-owned food and pet-care conglomerate that absorbed Kellanova in 2025. The recall press release was filed through the Kellanova newsroom and dated from Chicago, where MorningStar Farms is headquartered.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, food-safety, or legal advice. Consumers should follow the official recall notice from MorningStar Farms and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Figures and product details are accurate as of publication on June 24, 2026.