CFSAN Constituent Update - FDA Advises Consumers of Recall of Certain Sabra Hummus Products

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

Constituent Update

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The following is a safety advisory of interest to our Constituent Update subscribers. 

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FDA Advises Consumers of Recall of Certain Sabra Hummus Products

Consumers Should Not Eat Recalled Products Because of Possible Listeria Contamination

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.

Learn more about the problem and what is being done about it.