The Aldi cream cheese recall, explained

In an apparent abundance of caution, Aldi grocery stores have recalled certain varieties of cream cheese because they might be contaminated with salmonella. Aldi made the decision to recall the products on May 9, and while there haven’t been any reported illnesses yet, the company said it “puts the safety and integrity of the products it sells first.”

A variety of cream cheese spread flavors are affected, including Whipped, plain, Chive & Onion and Strawberry. The products were sold in the following 28 states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and last but not least Wisconsin.

Here are the exact products, UPC codes and sell by dates for every recalled Aldi product:

• Whipped Cream Cheese Spread, 8 oz. cup; UPC code 4099100101881; sell by dates 08/30/2024, 08/31/2024, 09/01/2024, 09/03/2024, 09/04/2024
• Chive & Onion Cream Cheese Spread, 8 oz. cup; UPC code 4099100101751; sell-by dates 09/13/2024, 09/22/2024 
• Strawberry Cream Cheese Spread, 8 oz. cup; UPC code 4099100101744; sell-by dates 09/08/2024 and 09/15/2024
• Cream Cheese Spread, 8 oz. cup; UPD code 4099100101737; sell-by dates 09/01/2024, 09/08/2024, 09/15/2024

Hy-Vee grocery stores, which are based in Iowa but located in eight states, also recalled two varieties of Cream Cheese Spread. The Hy-Vee products are made in factories throughout the Midwest before being sold by Hy-Vee’s private label. Hy-Vee said that the “manufacturers of these products” reached out to Hy-Vee just to be safe, and that the company decided it would recall them voluntarily.

The affected Hy-Vee stores include: “Hy-Vee, Hy-Vee Drugstore and Dollar Fresh Market locations – as well as Hy-Vee Fast and Fresh convenience stores” in states that include Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Here are the affected cream cheese varieties.

• Hy-Vee Whipped Cream Cheese Spread, 8 oz.; UPC code 0075450096132; sell-by dates 8/7/2024 and 8/14/2024
• Hy-Vee Cream Cheese Spread, 12 oz.; UPC code 0075450096120; sell-by date 10/1/2024

In addition to the cream cheese, Hy-Vee also pulled its cookies and cream snack mix from shelves as well. Those include:

• Hy-Vee To Go Cookies & Cream Mix, 4 oz.; UPC code 0075450486740; sell-by date 12/5/2024; lot number 24073
• Hy-Vee To Go Cookies & Cream Mix, 4 oz.; UPC code 0075450486740; sell-by date 12/1/2024; lot number 24101
• Hy-Vee To Go Cookies & Cream Mix, 4 oz.; UPC code 0075450486740; sell-by date 12/5/2024; lot number 24117
• Hy-Vee Cookies & Cream Mix, 16 oz.; UPC code 0075450486730; sell-by date 12/5/2024; lot number 24073
• Hy-Vee Cookies & Cream Mix, 16 oz.; UPC code 0075450486730; sell-by date12/1/2024; lot number 24101
• Hy-Vee Cookies & Cream Mix, 16 oz.; UPC code 0075450486730; sell-by date 12/5/2024; lot number 24117

If someone has any of the affected products, they’re advised to throw them away or return them to any Aldo or Hy-Vee for a full store refund.

Salmonella is a living organism that can wreak havoc on a person’s body, It can also cause very serious and in cases deadly infections that are especially dangerous for young children, the elderly and people who have compromised immune systems.

Relatively healthy people contaminated with Salmonella will experience symptoms such as fever, bloody diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and pain in the abdominal area. In some rare cases Salmonella can get into a person’s bloodstream and cause even more severe illnesses, like arthritis and arterial infections.

Salmonella causes around 1.35 million illnesses and about 420 deaths every year, per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The largest salmonella outbreak ever in the United States happened in 1974 on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation during a free barbeque. It was caused by leaving out potato salad for more than 16 hours before serving it.

Aldi has a history of recalling products, and has a database of those products dating back to 2018. Some of the worst include contaminated cantaloupe that killed six people and hospitalized 159; stone fruits that killed one person; sandwiches contaminated with plastic, and the strangest one of all: beef products that were actually horse meat.

Aldi was founded by two German brothers in 1946. It made its American debut in 1976 in Iowa. There are currently 2,000 stores throughout 36 states.