The recall affects all varieties of Panera’s 2-ounce and 8-ounce cream cheese products, according to a press release issued on the company’s website. This includes all cream cheese products with an expiration date on or before April 2, 2018, the company said.
Affected 2 oz. cream cheese varieties include: Plain Cream Cheese, Reduced-Fat Plain Cream Cheese, Reduced-Fat Chive & Onion Cream Cheese, Reduced-Fat Honey Walnut Cream Cheese, Reduced-Fat Wild Blueberry Cream Cheese.
Eight-ounce varieties included in the recall: Plain Cream Cheese, Reduced-Fat Plain Cream Cheese, Reduced-Fat Chive & Onion Cream Cheese, Reduced-Fat Honey Walnut Cream Cheese, Reduced-Fat Wild Blueberry Cream Cheese.
Although no listeria infections or other illnesses have been reported to date, Panera went ahead with the recall “out of an abundance of caution” after samples of one variety of 2-ounce cream cheese from a single production day showed a positive result for presence of the bacteria.
Testing done on cream cheese samples manufactured before and after the production showed no evidence of listeria, Panera said.
Listeriosis is a severe infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Symptoms are usually mild and short-term in otherwise healthy individuals and may include:
- High fever
- Headache
- Stiffness
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
However, if the illness spreads to the nervous system, signs and symptoms of listeriosis may include:
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Confusion / changes in alertness
- Loss of balance
- Convulsions
The recall only affects cream cheese products sold at Panera Bread restaurant/bakeries in the U.S., and does not affect the company’s facilities in Canada or any other Panera food products, the company said.
Consumers who have purchased any of the recalled items should discard them immediately or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.
Source: NBC Los Angeles
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