Major British supermarkets recall hummus on salmonella fears

Several major British supermarkets are recalling hummus dips amid fears they contain salmonella.

The recall, instigated by hummus producer Zorba Foods, began last week but has now been extended to include products from a number of large chains.

Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Asda, Lidl and Morrisons are among the stores affected, according to a full list of products in question published by the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA).

The recall encompasses products with use-by dates of up to November 17.

Zorba Foods blamed a third-party supplier for the issue, saying in a statement that “the issue was identified during our testing procedure” and an analysis “quickly pinpointed the likely source as being from a batch of ingredient supplied by a third-party.”

“The existence of salmonella was found in a limited volume of houmous that was produced,” the company added. “We immediately alerted the FSA and instructed customers to remove product from all outlets. We continue to work with the FSA on this matter.”

Salmonellosis, the infection caused by the bacteria Salmonella, is one of the most frequently reported food-borne illnesses. It rarely affects the taste, smell or appearance of food.

Typical symptoms include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Symptoms usually begin six hours to four days after infection.

Infections usually resolve in three to seven days, and mild cases often do not require professional treatment.

A similar recall occurred in the United States in July, when Pita Pal Foods pulled 87 types of hummus products over concerns about potential listeria contamination.