by Linda Straker
Officers from the Grenada Bureau of Standards are investigating whether recalled batches of Classic Hummus are on sale at various outlets in the island.
On 8 April 2015, Sabra Dipping Co., LLC announced that it is voluntarily recalling approximately 30,000 cases of its Classic Hummus due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. An advisory of the US Food and Drug Administration says that the potential for contamination was discovered when a routine, random sample collected at a retail location on 30 March 2015, by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.
Mr Leonard St Bernard, Head of Laboratory Services Division at the Bureau, said that the officers will be visiting some of the outlets which are known for selling the product, to determine if they could have received some of the products recalled.
“If any of the recall products are discovered, we will ask them to remove them from the shelves; remember, this is a voluntarily recall from the manuafacturer of the product,” he explained.
Classic Hummus is popular with vegetarians and vegans as a staple part of their diet. Listeria monocytogenes is the bacteria that causes listeriosis, which can be life threatening to pregnant women and people with weak immune systems. Symptoms range from fever, nausea, and diarrhea, to meningitis.