The bakery-café chain panera Bread has issued a nationwide recall of its cream-cheese products, after samples showed evidence of the Listeria monocytogenes bacterium.
Listeria infections kill hundreds of people each year and are particularly dangerous for pregnant women and their unborn children (hence the recommendation that pregnant women should avoid soft cheeses).
Panera (PNRA) was keen to point out that the bacterium was only found in samples of one variety of its cream cheese, made on one particular day—samples from the production days before and after seemed to be fine.
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However, better safe than sorry, so Panera is recalling all varieties of its 2 oz. and 8 oz. cream cheeses in the U.S. The recall does not affect cream cheese sold in its Canadian outlets.
“The safety of our guests and associates is paramount, therefore we are recalling all cream cheese products sold in the U.S. with an active shelf life. We have likewise ceased all manufacturing in the associated cream cheese facility,” CEO Blaine Hurst said in a Sunday statement.
If you bought the cream cheese, Panera said, you should throw it away and call the company on 1-855-6-PANERA, or visit its customer help website, for information about how to claim a full refund.