Panera Bread recalls cream cheese amid listeria fears

Popular fast-casual bakery-cafe Panera Bread recalled 2-ounce and -ounce cream cheese products on Sunday amid listeria concerns. Headquartered in St. Louis, Panera has 73 locations in New Jersey.Popular fast-casual bakery-cafe Panera Bread recalled 2-ounce and -ounce cream cheese products on Sunday amid listeria concerns. Headquartered in St. Louis, Panera has 73 locations in New Jersey.

In a statement, Panera said that the recall was initiated after a sample of a 2-ounce cream cheese tested positive for the bacteria. Tests on samples manufactured both before and after the compromised production run have all come back negative, and no illnesses have been reported at this time.

Any customers in possession of the following cream cheese varieties, with an expiration on or before April 2, should discard them immediately:

2-ounce cream cheese varieties, including 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.

-ounce cream cheese varieties, including 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.

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, said Blaine Hurst, Paneras President and CEO, in a statement.

Customers are encouraged to contact customer service by phone at 1-55-6-PANERA or online at panera.custhelp.com for a full refund. Copyright 201 BridgeTower Media. All Rights Reserved.

CREDIT: Gabrielle Saulsbery