Cream Cheese Recall Listeria Upgraded to FDA Class I, Agency Warns of ‘Serious Adverse Health Consequences or Death’
The cream cheese recall listeria notification was upgraded by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration to its highest risk level after internal testing at the manufacturer found possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall, first announced in mid-February, was assigned a Class I classification by the FDA on March 11.
Cream Cheese Recall Listeria: FDA Elevates Risk, Product Details
Made Fresh Salads, Inc. initially recalled multiple flavors of its cream cheese after internal testing found possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. An FDA announcement published on February 20 noted the recall began on February 19 and that the agency issued a Class I designation on March 11 through its enforcement notices.
The recalled items were sold in 5-pound white plastic tubs under the Made Fresh Salads label, with expiration dates through February 27, 2026. Distribution was by direct delivery to retail stores and distributors in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and the New York City area. At the time of the FDA notice, no illnesses had been reported.
The company traced the issue to a contaminated part of a mixer used during production and removed that part from service.
Health Risks, Consumer Guidance and Contact Information
The FDA uses three risk classification levels to describe and communicate how serious a recalled product’s potential health risk is, and the Class I level is the agency’s most serious designation. A Class I classification indicates there is “a reasonable probability” that consumption of the product will “cause serious adverse health consequences or death. ”
For healthy people, Listeria can cause short-term symptoms such as fever, headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. For vulnerable groups — young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems — infection can be fatal. Pregnant women face the additional risk of miscarriage or stillbirth.
Consumers who have purchased any of the affected cream cheese products are advised not to eat them and to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. For questions, the FDA notice directs consumers to contact Made Fresh Salads, Inc. at 1-718-765-0082, Monday through Friday, 9: 00 am ET to 5: 00 pm ET.
