Recall Alert: Various Sandwiches, Other Food Products Pulled Off Shelves Over Listeria Risk

A company is recalling various food products including sandwiches and muffins, affecting dozens of products. The recalled items may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Baltimore-based Fresh Ideation Food Group issued the recall after environmental samples turned out positive for the bacterium, according to the announcement on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website.

Consuming food that's contaminated with the organism may cause a "serious" infection called Listeriosis. It is most likely to affect certain groups such as the elderly, those whose immune systems are weakened and pregnant women and their newborns. Pregnant women are said to be "10 times more likely" to get a Listeria infection than others. In them, the disease tends to be mild but may cause stillbirth and miscarriages. It may also cause a severe disease in their newborn.

It is estimated that Listeria is the "third leading cause of death from food poisoning" in the U.S., the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted. Each year, some 1,600 people get sick from Listeria, and 260 end up dying.

To date, there have been no reports of illnesses related to the recall.

The recall affects various food items under different brand names, although all of them are said to have a "Fresh Creative Cuisine" identifier "at the bottom of the label." These products include sandwiches, croissants, wraps, desserts and breakfast foods.

For instance, the recall affects Ham, Egg & Cheese Croissants under four brand names: Fresh Creative Cuisine, Naval Academy 1845 Coffee, Orchard Bistro and Quick & Fresh. Cuban Sandwich products under brand names Bistro To Go, Fresh Creative Cuisine and Quick & Fresh are also included in the recall, and so are Chocolate Pudding Parfait products with brand names Bistro To Go, Orchard Bistro and Quick & Fresh.

The recall also affects other food products such as pizzas, salads, hoagies, fruits and snacks. The full list of the products being recalled, including the affected UPC codes and expiry date ranges, is available on the FDA website.

The recalled products are said to have been sold from Jan. 24 to Jan. 30, 2023, and had "fresh through" or "sell through" dates ranging from Jan. 31 to Feb. 6, 2023. These were distributed in Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and the District of Columbia. They were sold through retail stores, vending machines and "during travel with transportation providers."

Those with questions about the recall may contact the company at 855-969-3338.