Cream Cheese and Ready-to-Eat Salads Recalled Due to Potential Listeria Contamination

**Made Fresh Salads Issues Second Recall This Year Over Listeria Concerns**

In a significant public health alert, Made Fresh Salads, Inc., a company based in New York, has issued a recall affecting its cream cheese and deli-style salad products due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The announcement was made on September 6 by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), highlighting the severe health risks associated with this type of bacterial infection.

The recall encompasses a variety of ready-to-eat salad items, particularly noting products such as 5 lb. chickpea salad, 5 lb. bowtie pesto salad, and a substantial 30 lb. potato salad. The items have expiration dates ranging from September 3, 2026, to September 18, 2026. Additionally, other products such as 7 lb. chocolate pudding and 6 lb. vanilla pudding, along with a selection of potato croquettes and crab cakes, are included in this recall.

Distribution of the affected products has been limited to certain regions in New York, specifically the boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and the broader New York City area. The implicated items were packaged in white plastic tubs and half-size aluminum pans, all marked with either the Made Fresh Salads or Northside labels.

The company’s recall also extends to all varieties of cream cheese, which include flavours such as apple cinnamon and tofu vegetable spread. These items were sold in 5 lb. and 30 lb. containers, and like the salad products, may have been repackaged under various retail labels.

Consumers who have purchased these potentially hazardous items are advised to return them for a full refund. As of the latest updates, no illnesses related to the recall have been reported. However, Listeria infections can result in severe symptoms such as high fever, nausea, headache, and abdominal pain, posing greater risks to vulnerable populations, including the elderly, young children, and individuals with weakened immune systems.

The alarming recall follows earlier concerns earlier this year, when Made Fresh Salads recalled a selection of its cream cheese products due to similar risks associated with Listeria contamination. The first recall was announced on February 20, and it affected several flavours of cream cheese packaged in 5 lb. tubs. All affected products were sold across the same New York areas, including Brooklyn and the Bronx.

Environmental sampling, carried out by the company and the FDA, alerted Made Fresh Salads to the presence of Listeria within certain areas of its production facility. As a result of these findings, the company has ceased production and distribution of the affected items and is currently investigating the precise cause of the contamination in collaboration with health officials.

In response to the issues identified in February, the company terminated the use of the contaminated equipment and implemented measures to prevent future occurrences. Although no illnesses were reported at that time, the FDA subsequently upgraded the severity of that recall to a Class I designation, indicating a significant threat to health.

Made Fresh Salads has been proactive in addressing these risks as part of its commitment to consumer safety. The company urges anyone with concerns regarding the consumed products to seek guidance and check their purchases against the recall list.

As food safety continues to be a priority, further monitoring and compliance with health regulations are essential to prevent such risks in the future. Consumers are reminded to stay informed about food recalls in order to protect their health and well-being.