Panera Bread Recalls Cream Cheese Nationally Over Listeria Concerns

Photo: WikiCommons | Miosotis Jade

Patrons who purchase their cream cheese from Panera Bread may want to check their fridge quickly. Like, real quick.

Panera Bread announced that they’re issuing a voluntary nationwide recall of two cream cheese products sold in U.S. bakery locations.

The company discovered samples of a variety of 2 oz. cream cheese tested positive for presence of Listeria monocytogenes. According to the company, the products to be recalled are the 2 and 8 oz. cream cheese containers with the expiration date that’s on or before 4/2/18.

Here’s what they look like:

Cream cheese flavors include: Plain Cream Cheese, Reduced-Fat Cream Cheese, Reduced-Fat Chive & Onion Cream Cheese, Reduced-Fat Honey Walnut Cream Cheese, and Reduced-Fat Wild Blueberry Cream Cheese.

Blaine Hurst, Panera’s President and CEO, said in the statement:

“The safety of our guests and associates is paramount, therefore we are recalling all cream cheese products sold in the US with an active shelf life. We have likewise ceased all manufacturing in the associated cream cheese facility.”

He added:

“Only one variety of 2-oz cream cheese from a single day yielded the positive result. Our intent is to go above and beyond for our guests. You should expect nothing less from Panera.”

Listeria can cause infection and illness in small children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. Sometimes, this could be fatal. Luckily, Panera caught this early on and preemptively issued the recall.

Anyone who bought these cream cheese products are advised to chuck them out immediately and visit Panera.custhelp.com for a full refund.