The United States Food and Drug Administration has officially elevated an ongoing recall of bulk cream cheese distributed throughout New York City to a Class I status, the agency’s most severe warning level. The recall encompasses 557 five-pound tubs, totaling 2,785 pounds of product, produced by Long Island-based Made Fresh Salads. Routine internal testing at the manufacturing facility previously identified the presence of Listeria monocytogenes on a portion of the production machinery.
A Class I designation indicates a reasonable probability that exposure to the compromised product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death. While Made Fresh Salads initially issued a voluntary recall on February 20, 2026, the formal federal escalation emphasizes the severe medical risks associated with the pathogen. Authorities confirm that no illnesses have been reported as of the latest public updates.
Scope of the Contamination
The targeted distribution of the five-pound white plastic tubs means the products were primarily delivered directly to retail stores, local distributors, bagel shops, delis, and bodegas across Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, rather than directly to individual consumers at grocery checkout aisles. The recall covers 14 distinct flavors of cream cheese and tofu spread, including regional staples such as Lox, Scallion, Vegetable, Garlic & Herb, Jalapeño, Blueberry, Apple Cinnamon, and Walnut Raisin.
#FoodRecall Fourteen flavors of Made Fresh Salads’ five-pound tubs of cream cheese have been recalled, https://t.co/Ib8r9xzYed
— Glada 🇺🇸 🌻 (@42_theanswer) March 14, 2026
All affected tubs carry expiration dates through February 27, 2026. Made Fresh Salads reported that the contamination was traced specifically to a mixer part used in the production environment. The manufacturer has halted the use of the contaminated equipment to contain the localized hazard.
Medical Risks and Symptoms
Medical professionals urge extreme caution due to the delayed onset of Listeriosis. Symptoms of a Listeria infection can take up to 70 days to manifest after consumption of contaminated food, leaving the monitoring window open well into the spring months. In otherwise healthy individuals, the bacterial infection may present as a short-term illness featuring high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
The pathogen poses a profound and immediate danger to specific vulnerable populations. Pregnant women face an elevated risk, as the infection can lead to miscarriages and stillbirths. Furthermore, young children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems are highly susceptible to severe and potentially fatal complications from exposure. Consumers and business owners in possession of the recalled tubs are instructed to return the product to the point of purchase for a full refund.