Why You May Want to Stop Eating Starbucks Breakfasts Right Now
Stick to coffee and avoid those breakfast sandwiches next time you go to Starbucks.
Progressive Gourmet Inc. of Wilmington, Massachusetts, is recalling its 6-ounce packages of Sausage, Egg and Cheddar Cheese on English Muffin breakfast sandwiches manufactured for Starbucks Coffee Co. out of the abundance of caution because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
The product comes in a 6-ounce, clear plastic, labeled package marked with Best Before: 07-AUG-2016 on the top. Note, no other production runs of this product are impacted by this recall.
These potentially impacted sandwiches were possibly sold to consumers by select Starbucks stores in Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma Starbucks Stores on 3/3/16 and 3/4/16. The sandwiches may be heated at the store level for immediate consumption.
This recall is limited to impacted 250 stores in Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma only. (The recalled sandwiches were distributed to warehouses in Maryland, North Carolina, Texas and Louisiana).
As soon as Starbucks was informed of this potential issue, the impacted product was removed from the 250 stores that potentially received it. The scope of this issue is limited to these stores.
The potential for contamination was noted after routine testing by the company revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes on a contact surface within the production facility.
No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this product.
Progressive Gourmet is working closely with FDA and the Massachusetts Department of Health and continues to investigate the source of the problem.
Consumers who have purchased 6-ounce packages of the sandwich are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-224-7630 (9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday EST).
