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Made Fresh Salads, Inc. announced a recall on February 20, 2026 affecting assorted flavors of cream cheese distributed throughout the New York City area. [1] The recall was initiated after the company’s routine sampling program discovered that part of the mixer used in production was contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
Recalled Products
The recall encompasses 14 varieties of cream cheese and one tofu spread, all packaged in 5-pound white plastic tubs bearing the Made Fresh Salads label:
- Apple Cinnamon Cream Cheese
- Caramel Apple Cream Cheese
- Blueberry Cream Cheese
- Garlic & Herb Cream Cheese
- Jalapeno Cream Cheese
- Jalapeno Cheddar Cream Cheese
- Lox Cream Cheese
- Scallion Cream Cheese
- Strawberry Cream Cheese
- Sundried Tomato Cream Cheese
- Vegetable Cream Cheese
- Walnut Raisin Cream Cheese
- Whipped Cream Cheese
- Tofu Whipped
All recalled products feature expiration dates through February 27, 2026, printed in the bottom left corner of the label. The contaminated products were distributed via direct delivery to retail stores and distributors throughout Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and the New York City metropolitan area.
Listeria Contamination Hazard
Listeria monocytogenes is a dangerous pathogen that causes serious and potentially fatal infections, particularly in vulnerable populations including young children, elderly individuals, and people with compromised immune systems. Pregnant women face especially severe risks as Listeria infection can result in miscarriages and stillbirths.
Even healthy individuals exposed to Listeria may experience high fever, severe headaches, neck stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. The bacteria can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperatures, making contaminated cream cheese particularly hazardous since consumers typically store these products for extended periods.
Manufacturing Contamination Source
The company’s internal testing revealed that a component of the mixing equipment used during manufacturing harbored Listeria monocytogenes contamination. This equipment defect allowed the pathogen to transfer directly into finished cream cheese products during the production process.
Made Fresh Salads has ceased all production using the contaminated mixer and removed the equipment from service. No illnesses have been reported to date, though the incubation period for Listeria can extend up to 70 days after exposure.
Distribution and Sales Locations
The contaminated cream cheese products reached consumers through direct delivery channels serving retail establishments and food distributors across four New York City boroughs. Distribution focused on Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and Manhattan, with products sold primarily through delis, grocery stores, and food service establishments.
The 5-pound tub packaging format suggests the products were marketed to commercial food service operations, delis, and restaurants rather than individual consumers. This commercial distribution pattern potentially exposed numerous businesses and their customers to the contaminated products.
Return and Refund Instructions
Consumers and businesses that purchased Made Fresh Salads cream cheese should immediately stop using the products and return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Do not consume any products with expiration dates through February 27, 2026.
For questions about the recall, consumers may contact Made Fresh Salads, Inc. at 1-718-765-0082 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Individuals who consumed the products and developed symptoms should seek immediate medical attention and inform healthcare providers about potential Listeria exposure.
Food Safety Violations
The contamination of manufacturing equipment represents a fundamental food safety failure that violated good manufacturing practices and food safety regulations. Proper equipment maintenance, sanitation protocols, and environmental monitoring should have detected and prevented Listeria contamination before products reached consumers.
The fact that contamination persisted long enough to affect multiple production batches spanning weeks indicates systemic failures in quality control procedures. Companies manufacturing ready-to-eat dairy products have heightened responsibilities to maintain Listeria-free production environments given the pathogen’s ability to thrive in refrigerated conditions.
Legal Claims and Compensation
Individuals who consumed contaminated Made Fresh Salads cream cheese and developed Listeria infections may pursue product liability claims against the manufacturer. Legal theories include strict liability for selling contaminated food products, negligence in manufacturing and quality control, breach of implied warranty of merchantability, and violations of food safety regulations.
Compensable damages include medical expenses for hospitalization and treatment, laboratory testing costs, lost wages during illness, pain and suffering from severe symptoms, permanent health complications from invasive listeriosis, and wrongful death damages for fatal infections. Pregnant women who suffered miscarriages or stillbirths due to Listeria infection may pursue additional damages for pregnancy loss, emotional trauma, and reproductive harm.
Contact an Attorney
If you or a family member contracted a Listeria infection after consuming Made Fresh Salads cream cheese products, consult with an experienced food safety attorney immediately. Listeria cases require prompt investigation to establish the connection between contaminated products and illness through medical records, product evidence, and laboratory analysis.
Time limits apply to filing food contamination lawsuits, and critical evidence may be lost if not preserved quickly. An attorney can coordinate with public health officials investigating the outbreak, obtain medical records documenting your infection, pursue compensation for all medical expenses and losses, and hold the manufacturer accountable for distributing contaminated food products that endangered public health.
References
1. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/made-fresh-salads-inc-recalls-assorted-flavors-cream-cheese-because-possible-health-risk