Salmonella scare: Error sees Foodstuffs South Island sell dozens of tubs of recalled hummus

Several brands of hummus and tahini have been recalled due to possible salmonella contamination. Photo / Supplied

The buyer of a 500g tub of roasted garlic hummus from the Port Chalmers Four Square is being sought, after Foodstuffs South Island accidentally sold 39 tubs of possibly salmonella-contaminated dip.

A Foodstuffs spokeswoman said the company’s Hornby distribution centre in Christchurch received a delivery from a supplier of recalled hummus products which were subject to a food safety recall.

In error, some of the products subject to the recall were sent to Foodstuffs stores across the South Island on Saturday.

The mistake became apparent later that day and the items were removed from shelves and earmarked for destruction.

Electronic sales data became available today, which revealed 39 tubs of the dangerous hummus were sold to 34 customers.

Of the 34 customers, 25 had been contacted including a person who purchased a 380g tub of Lisa’s Original Hummus with Garlic and Lemon on Sunday from Oamaru New World.

Nine customers were still at large, including the person who brought a 500g tub of Greater Hummus Roasted Garlic from the Port Chalmers Four Square on Saturday.

Other customers bought their products from stores in Hokitika, Kaikōura, Christchurch, Richmond, Māpua and Darfield.

The customers-at-large were urged to not consume the products, but to return them to the store for a refund.

While there had not been any confirmed instances of illness due to the recalled products, if any people had eaten them and had concerns about their health they should seek medical advice.

“A full investigation as to why the recalled product was delivered to Foodstuffs South Island and dispatched to the stores is already underway,” the spokeswoman said.

New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said routine manufacturer testing detected salmonella in Life Health Foods NZ products containing Tahini imported from Turkey.

Salmonellosis symptoms generally appeared within 12 to 72 hours and included abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Illness usually lasts between 4 and 7 days but, in more severe cases, it can last for 10.

In January, Mr Arbuckle urged consumers to check their freezers because the Foodstuffs South Island Hornby distribution centre had released 478 bags of Pams Mixed Berries in error.

Six bags were sold, including a packet in Wānaka.

The berries had been subject to a previous recall notice in October 2022, due to the risk of hepatitis A, Mr Arbuckle said.