The Sabra Dipping Co. is voluntarily recalling a number of its hummus products "out of an abundance of caution" amid fears of possible Listeria contamination, the US Food and Drug Administration said Saturday.
The bacteria Listeria monocytogenes was found at a Sabra manufacturing facility, but not in any finished products, the FDA said in a statement.
Listeria can cause serious and even fatal infections in people with weakened immune systems, as well as children and the elderly. "Healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea," according to the FDA.
People who purchased hummus products with a "Best Before" label up through Jan. 23, 2017, are now being urged to discard them.
The recall affects dozens of hummus variants and sizes, including the Sabra Classic Hummus, but the company said other products — including Sabra Organic Hummus, Sabra Salsa, Sabra Guacamole, and Sabra Greek Yogurt Dips — did not pose a risk.
In a statement, Sabra CEO Shali Shalit Shoval said the company had "industry-leading food safety procedures" but decided to issue the recall "because consumer safety is a top priority."
"Subsequent to the inspection conducted with the FDA, we implemented a thorough and extensive factory-wide cleaning and sanitation procedure, and beyond that, we continue to work very closely with internal and external food safety experts to identify any additional steps we can take to even further enhance our efforts," the CEO said.
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