Supermarkets across the United States, including Aldi and Hy-Vee, have recalled multiple cream cheese products due to the risk of potential salmonella contamination and are warning customers to throw the impacted items out immediately.
The German discount supermarket chain announced the recall in a May 9 notice, adding that the products were being removed from its stores “out of an abundance of caution.”
That recall impacts select products made by Green Bay, Wisconsin-headquartered dairy company Schreiber Foods, Inc.
- Whipped cream cheese spread with UPC code 4099100101881, and sell by dates of 08/30/2024, 08/31/2024, 09/01/2024, 09/03/2024 and 09/04/2024;
- Chive & onion cream cheese spread with UPC code 4099100101751 and sell by dates of 09/13/2024 and 09/22/2024;
- Cream cheese spread with UPC code 4099100101737 and sell by dates of 09/01/2024, 09/08/2024 and 09/15/2024;
- Strawberry cream cheese spread with UPC code 4099100101744 and sell by dates of 09/08/2024 and 09/15/2024.
Customers Should Throw Items Out
While Aldi said the affected products are being recalled due to potential salmonella contamination, the supermarket chain did not state if there have been any reported illnesses linked to the recalled cream cheese products. It also did not state exactly when or how the potential contamination was first detected.“Aldi puts the safety and integrity of the products it sells first,” the company said. “If customers have products affected by this recall, they are advised to discard it immediately or return it to their local store for a full refund.”
“Aldi sincerely regrets the inconvenience and concern caused as a result of this recall,” the company added.
The Epoch Times has contacted representatives for Aldi and Schreiber Foods for further comment.
More Cream Cheese Recalls
In a May 6 notice with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Hy-Vee said it was also recalling its bulk-packaged Cookies & Cream Mix for the same reason.Those items are manufactured at different third-party facilities around the Midwest, and are sold under HyVee’s private label and bulk packaging programs.
They were distributed to Hy-Vee, Hy-Vee Drugstore, and Dollar Fresh Market locations, as well as Hy-Vee Fast and Fresh convenience stores in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, the company said.
Hy-Vee said it was notified by the manufacturers regarding the potential issue but that there had so far been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of any of the recalled products.
Like Aldi, Hy-Vee urged customers to throw out the products or return them to the store for a refund.
Health Risks
Salmonella is a bacteria that lives in the intestines of people and animals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Individuals can contract salmonella in a number of ways, including through consuming contaminated food, drinking contaminated water, or touching animals that are infected, although salmonella is killed when it is cooked.
Symptoms of salmonella infection typically begin within six hours to six days and can last four to seven days, although some individuals may not display symptoms until several weeks after infection.
Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, although in some cases it can cause severe disease, particularly in children under the age of 5, infants who are not breastfed, pregnant women, adults aged 65 and older, and those with a weakened immune system.
While most people recover without the need for any specific treatment, antibiotics are typically used in severe cases.
The CDC estimates that salmonella causes about 1.35 million illnesses, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths in the United States every year.