Sabra Hummus Alert for “Best Before” Jan 23, 2017 Products
There’s nothing worse than throwing out perfectly good food BEFORE the holidays. Unless, of course, consuming those tasty Thanksgiving treats gives you high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Before you dip your veggies in your Sabra hummus, check the date on the container. “The company is issuing this recall out of an abundance of caution,” according to the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA).
Sabra Dipping Company LLC has recalled certain hummus products with a “Best Before” date on or before January 23, 2017, because the products have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes can cause a serious, potentially life-threatening infection called listeriosis. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises consumers not to eat the recalled products and to throw them away. — FDA Advises Consumers of Recall of Certain Sabra Hummus Products, 11/22/2016
Some are at more at risk than others. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. Listeria monocytogenes infections can be fatal for young children, seniors and people with weakened immune systems. This isn’t the way you want to get the last word in on a family argument.
What is the Problem and What is Being Done About It?
On October 31, 2016, the FDA began an inspection of Sabra Dipping Company LLC’s manufacturing facility in Colonial Heights, VA. Nine environmental samples collected in food processing areas within the facility were positive for Listeria monocytogenes. On November 18, 2016, the FDA informed Sabra that an additional 18 environmental samples collected near food handling equipment were confirmed positive for Listeria monocytogenes.
One of the strains of Listeria monocytogenes found during the recent inspection matches a strain found in a retail product sample collected in 2015, indicating this strain of Listeria monocytogenes may be persistent in the production environment.
The FDA discussed the findings with Sabra including steps taken by Sabra since the inspection. On November 18, 2016, Sabra Dipping Company LLC initiated a voluntary recall of certain hummus products with a “Best Before” date on or before January 23, 2017, urging consumers to throw the product away. The products were distributed to retail outlets, including food service accounts and supermarkets, in the U.S. and Canada.
Consumers can find code and “Best Before” dates on the lid of each package. You can find a list of the recalled products at fda.gov.
