A fast-casual national restaurant chain has voluntarily recalled all 2- and 8-ounce cream cheese products in its U.S. bakery cafes.
Panera Bread is conducting a nationwide preemptive, voluntary recall of all varieties of the unexpired cream cheese products with an expiration date on or before 4/2/18.
This recall was initiated after samples of one variety of 2 oz. cream cheese from a single production day showed a positive result for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. Tests on cream cheese samples manufactured both before and after the production run in question have all come back negative.
According to the FDA, Listeria monocytogenes is an organism, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
Affected 2- and 8-ounce cream cheese varieties: 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.
Consumers in possession of these products should discard them immediately and contact Panera Bread Customer Service at 1-855-6-PANERA from Monday through Sunday, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., or visit Panera.custhelp.com for a full refund.