Natural Grocers Recalls Mung Beans Over Glass Concerns in 22 States

If you recently picked up a bag of organic mung beans from Natural Grocers, you might want to give your pantry a closer look before making dinner.

A routine grocery purchase has become the subject of a food safety recall after customers reported finding sharp glass fragments in mung beans sold under the Natural Grocers brand.

On October 22, 2026, Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Markets, Inc., the Colorado-based company behind Natural Grocers, announced a recall of certain two-pound bags of organic mung beans because of possible glass contamination.

According to the recall announcement published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), affected products may have reached Natural Grocers stores in 22 states.

The good news? The recall identifies specific packages and pack-date codes, making it easier for shoppers to determine whether their beans are affected.

Here’s what you need to know.

Why Are These Mung Beans Being Recalled?

Nobody expects to find anything crunchy in their beans besides the beans themselves.

Unfortunately, customer complaints about sharp glass fragments prompted Natural Grocers to recall certain packages of its organic mung beans.

The company announced the recall on October 22, 2026, with the FDA publishing the notice that same day.

The concern is possible contamination with glass, which could pose a serious safety risk if accidentally swallowed.

According to the company, glass fragments could damage teeth, cause cuts to the mouth or throat, or potentially perforate the intestine.

However, there’s an important distinction: The recall does not mean every affected bag has been confirmed to contain glass.

Instead, the company took action following complaints about glass fragments in the product.

No illnesses or injuries had been reported when the company issued its October 22 announcement.

The company did not disclose how many complaints it received or explain how the glass might have entered the beans.

Which Natural Grocers Mung Beans Are Affected?

Before you start clearing every bag of beans out of your kitchen, here’s some reassuring news: the recall applies to a specific product.

The affected item is Natural Grocers Brand Organic Mung Beans, also described in the announcement as Natural Grocers Brand Bulk Organic Mung Beans.

The beans come in clear plastic bags weighing two pounds.

To check whether your package is included, look for these details:

• Brand: Natural Grocers
• Product: Organic mung beans
• Package size: 2 pounds
• UPC: 000080112600
• Affected pack-date codes: 26-160, 26-173, 26-196, 26-224, and 26-258

The pack-date code appears in the lower-left corner of the product label.

It’s worth taking a few extra seconds to check that code, especially if you purchased the beans several weeks or months ago.

The affected lots began shipping on June 10, 2026, meaning some shoppers may have purchased them well before the October announcement.

Remember, the codes listed above are pack-date codes, not expiration dates.

Other bean varieties, brands, and package sizes were not included in this particular announcement.

Which 22 States Are Included in the Recall?

This recall covers a sizable geographic area, but that doesn’t mean every grocery store across those states received the affected beans.

According to Natural Grocers, recalled lots may have been shipped to its stores in the following 22 states:

• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Idaho
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• North Dakota
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• South Dakota
• Texas
• Utah
• Washington
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

That’s quite a stretch of the country!

However, the company’s wording matters. The affected products may have been shipped to Natural Grocers stores in these states.

The announcement does not confirm that the beans were sold at every location or even at every store in the listed states.

It also does not identify other grocery chains as part of this recall.

If you shop at Natural Grocers in one of these states, checking your pantry is a sensible precaution.

What Should You Do if You Bought These Beans?

Let’s say you’ve checked the label, and your bag matches one of the recalled pack-date codes.

What happens next?

First, don’t eat the beans.

Natural Grocers advises customers who purchased the recalled product to stop using it immediately.

The company offers two options: discard the affected beans or return them for a full refund or credit.

That means you don’t have to keep a questionable bag of beans sitting in your kitchen.

And while it might be tempting to sort through the beans, rinse them thoroughly, or cook them anyway, those methods should not be treated as a way to make recalled products safe.

Glass fragments can present a serious physical hazard, and the company’s instructions are to discard or return the product.

The recall announcement does not specify whether customers must provide a receipt or follow a particular return procedure.

If you’re unsure how to return your purchase, contacting Natural Grocers directly is the best approach.

How to Contact Natural Grocers About the Recall

Have questions about your beans, your refund, or whether a particular package is affected?

Natural Grocers has provided contact information for customers seeking assistance.

You can call 303-226-1434 Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain Time.

You can also email the company at [email protected].

When reaching out, it may help to have the package label, UPC, and pack-date code available.

Those details can help you explain exactly which product you’re asking about.

Consumers who want to report a food safety complaint can also contact the FDA through its food safety reporting channels.

Is the Recall Still Ongoing?

The recall was announced on October 22, 2026, and remained listed on the FDA’s recall index reviewed in early November.

However, the available records did not establish whether the recall process had been completed as of November 6.

That distinction matters because a recall announcement remaining online doesn’t necessarily mean affected products are still on store shelves.

The available announcements also did not identify an expansion to other products or disclose the cause of the possible contamination.

For shoppers, the most useful step remains checking the package rather than assuming the problem has disappeared.

The Bottom Line

A simple bag of beans probably isn’t something most people think twice about when putting groceries away.

But this Natural Grocers recall is a reminder that even familiar pantry staples can occasionally become the subject of food safety concerns.

If you’ve purchased Natural Grocers organic mung beans in a two-pound clear plastic bag, check the UPC and pack-date code against the recall notice.

If your package matches, stop using it and follow the company’s instructions to discard it or return it for a full refund or credit.

A quick look at your pantry today could help you avoid an unpleasant surprise at your next meal.