Hodo’s Chili Crisp Lightly Fried Tofu was reportedly recalled after possible ink from printed packaging may have migrated into the food. The reported product is an eight-ounce package with UPC 850565007842, sold in 29 states. If your package matches the reported product and one of the listed lot codes and dates below, do not consume it; the reports say to return it to the original retailer for a refund or use Hodo’s replacement-voucher process.
The evidence supplied for this article consists of two independent news reports that attribute the recall information to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Hodo. It does not include a direct FDA recall page. That means the identifiers below are useful for checking a package, but the available evidence cannot independently confirm an individual reader’s item. Consumers should compare the package with the current FDA or Hodo notice before deciding what applies to their product.
Which Hodo tofu is reportedly affected?
The reported product is Hodo Chili Crisp Lightly Fried Tofu, described as refrigerated tofu in eight-ounce containers. The affected cases reportedly included six-pack and 30-pack configurations. The UPC reported by Yahoo and the Desert Sun is 850565007842.
The Desert Sun published the following lot-code and date combinations as affected:
- Lot 260114 or 260114A – use by 05/15/2026
- Lot 260122 – use by 05/23/2026
- Lot 260128 – use by 05/29/2026
- Lot 260205 – use by 06/06/2026
- Lot 260213 or 260213A – use by 06/14/2026
- Lot 260219 or 260219A – use by 06/20/2026
- Lot 260220 – use by 06/21/2026
- Lot 260226 – use by 06/27/2026
- Lot 260305 – use by 07/04/2026
- Lot 260312 – use by 07/11/2026
- Lot 260319 – use by 07/18/2026
- Lot 260326 – use by 07/25/2026
- Lot 260402 – use by 08/01/2026
- Lot 260423 – use by 08/22/2026
- Lot 260521 – use by 09/19/2026
- Lot 260611 – use by 10/10/2026
- Lot 260625 – use by 10/24/2026
- Lot 260709 – best if used by 11/07/2026
- Lot 260716 – best if used by 11/14/2026
Do not use appearance, flavor, the presence of chili oil or the store where you bought the tofu as a substitute for checking the identifiers. Recall status depends on the exact product and lot information, not on whether a package looks normal.
Where was the tofu distributed?
The reports say the tofu was distributed to wholesale distributors, retailers and consumers between January 16, 2026, and July 16, 2026. The listed states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
Distribution in one of those states does not, by itself, prove that a package is recalled. A reader still needs to match the product name, package details, UPC, lot code and date. Likewise, an item bought elsewhere cannot be ruled in or out solely from the store or location.
Why was the product recalled?
Hodo reportedly noticed discoloration during the scale-up of a new product and then conducted additional testing. The company said printing ink from the packaging film may have migrated into the tofu. Hodo was still investigating whether the chili oil and heat contributed to the possible migration, so the precise cause remained unresolved in the supplied reports.
This distinction matters: the reports describe a potential chemical contamination concern, not a confirmed finding that every package contained ink. The recall is a precautionary action covering the identifiers listed in the reports. The Desert Sun said Hodo reported no injuries or illnesses related to the product.
What should consumers do?
If your package matches all or part of the reported recall description, do not consume it while you verify the current official notice. The supplied reports say consumers may return the product to the original place of purchase for a refund. They also describe a Hodo option to request a product voucher or coupon for a replacement.
The evidence does not state a consumer deadline, a required receipt, a refund amount or a separate medical instruction. It also does not say to discard the product or provide a clinical response for people who already ate it. Those details should come from the current FDA, Hodo or retailer notice rather than being inferred from the possible contamination mechanism.
Keep the package available while checking the lot code and date, and contact the retailer or Hodo through the official recall instructions if you need help matching the item. If the package does not show enough information to verify its identity, the supplied evidence cannot confirm whether it is affected.
What remains to be verified
The central recall details are consistent across the two supplied reports, but the original FDA document was not provided. A direct agency or manufacturer notice could clarify the formal recall date, complete product identifiers, the official refund or voucher process, any deadline and whether the listed scope has changed.
Until that information is available, the safest reader decision is identifier-based: do not rely on ingredients, appearance or store alone; check the UPC, lot code and use-by or best-if-used-by date against the current official notice. That approach separates the reported recall scope from items that merely look similar.
The practical question is not whether tofu with chili oil or similar packaging looks affected. It is whether the package matches the reported product identifiers: Hodo Chili Crisp Lightly Fried Tofu, UPC 850565007842, and one of the listed lots and dates. Two reports describe possible ink migration from printed packaging after discoloration prompted testing. They also report no associated illnesses or injuries and say Hodo was investigating the role of heat and chili oil. Because the direct FDA notice was not supplied, readers should use the current FDA or Hodo notice to confirm scope, refund requirements and any deadline before acting.
Sources and methodology
- More Than 10,000 Cases of Tofu Recalled Across 29 States Over Possible Chemical Contamination From Ink - https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/10-000-cases-tofu-recalled-154051694.html
- than 10000 tofu cases recalled in California, 28 more states - https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/nation/california/2026/09/02/tofu-recalled-over-possible-ink-contamination-in-california-28-states/91577957007
- Tofu recalled over possible ink contamination; sold in 29 ... - https://www.livenowfox.com/news/tofu-recalled-over-possible-ink-contamination-sold-29-states
- Tofu recalled in 29 states, including throughout Tri ... - https://local12.com/news/nation-world/tofu-recall-recalled-recalls-recalling-tri-state-ohio-indiana-kentucky-contaminated-ink-chemical-contamination-hodo-chili-crisp-lightly-fried-meat-alternative-asian-soy-japanese-chemicals-chemically
