57 Varieties of Sabra Hummus Recalled Over Listeria Contamination

Toddlers and pregnant women are both known for consuming mass quantities of hummus, and Sabra is one of the country’s most popular brands. This weekend the company issued a recall notice for 57 varieties of its hummus after inspectors found evidence of listeria bacteria at one of the company’s production plants.

Listeria bacteria can cause serious and potentially deadly illness in small children or the elderly, or in people with weakened immune systems. It’s also particularly dangerous to pregnant women and can cause miscarriage or stillbirth. The threat of Listeria contamination is why pregnant women in the U.S. are told to avoid eating deli meats or raw-milk cheese during pregnancy, but listeria can be found in many varieties of food. In healthy, not-pregnant people, listeria can cause illness and symptoms that include fevers, headaches, nausea, and diarrhea, but it’s a lot worse for children and pregnant people.

According to Eater, Sabra hummus recalled 57 varieties after Listeria monocytes bacteria were found on equipment at a hummus production facility. The full list of hummus being recalled is available on the Sabra website or on the FDA website but basically any Sabra hummus container with a “best before” date before January 23, 2017, should be thrown away. That includes the “hummus and pretzel” snacks, and all the hummus flavors in their various sizes of tubs.

Sabra’s organic hummus, Greek yogurt dip, guacamole, and salsa are not affected by the recall.

Considering the rates at which children eat hummus, this recall is certain to scare a lot of people. My own toddler is partial to the red pepper variety, and she probably eats at least one medium-sized tub every week. It is worth noting however that Sabra says Listeria bacteria were not found in any finished food products, just on the equipment used to produce the hummus.

“We want to reassure our consumers that our procedures include extensive finished product testing, and no products tested positive for contaminants. We are taking action because consumer safety is a top priority,” the company said on its website.

As yet nobody is known to have been sickened by the hummus.  If you do have Sabra hummus in your fridge, throw it out. The company will refund your money.

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