The National Consumer Commissioner (NCC) has called for the immediate return of Deli Hummus products after Listeria monocytogenes was detected and consumers are advised to stop consuming these products.
This after retail giant Shoprite Checkers notified the NCC of a product recall of the Deli Hummus range manufactured by BM Foods (a member of Sea Harvest Group) following the detection of Listeria monocytogenes, which is a species of foodborne bacteria.
The respective sell-by dates of the products are 10 September 2024 to 8 October 2024.
The NCC's Acting Commissioner, Hardin Ratshisusu, stated that following the product recall notification in line with Section 60 of the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008, Shoprite Checkers has now provided an interim investigation report to the NCC on the Deli Hummus range.
“The preliminary findings of the report point to some areas of concern regarding product handling at the manufacturing level, however, the NCC is awaiting a final report from Shoprite Checkers.
“Parallel to the said in-house processes, the NCC is independently investigating the recalled products on identified operational issues that pertain to food safety,” Ratshisusu said.
Ratshisusu urged consumers to immediately stop consuming the products and return same to the supplier for a full refund with or without any proof of purchase.
He further added that “at this stage, the NCC is not able to determine the extent of the distribution of the products, as this is the subject of an investigation. Suppliers are being urged not to distribute these products further until the investigation is finalised.
“The NCC is monitoring this recall based on the product recall provisions of the Consumer Protection Action read with the product recall safety guidelines,” Ratshisusu said.
The affected products are the Deli Hummus range, specifically the following: Traditional Hummus (125g and 300g); Reduced Fat Hummus (125g); Zataar Hummus (125g and 300g); Red Pepper Hummus (125g and 300g); and Caramelised Onion Hummus (125g).
In response, BM Food Manufacturers Group Chief Executive Officer, Costas Vayanos, says, “We were notified by Shoprite Checkers that they had decided to recall the product as a precautionary measure after microbiological contamination was found in three batches of Deli branded hummus during routine quality testing.
“We are continuing our engagement with Shoprite Checkers to obtain details about their concerns that resulted in the recall and we are urgently assessing the preliminary report issued by the retailer.
“However, we welcome the NCC’s intention to conduct an independent investigation and will lend our full cooperation to that process.”
According to Vayanos, immediately after learning about the recall, BM Foods conducted several tests on batches of humus and various products produced in its facility and have found no traces of microbiological contamination thus far.
“We, therefore, look forward to continuing our engagement with Shoprite Checkers and assisting the relevant authority to resolve this matter,” Vayanos stated.
Vayanos adds that the company supports the abundance of caution by the affected retailer and authorities resulting in the product recall.
“BM Foods has robust food safety procedures in place to ensure adherence to stringent standards in food production, where we maintain the highest levels of safety, hygiene, and quality in every aspect of our operations. This is demonstrated by our Food Safety System Certification (FSSC) 22 000 certificate.
“The European-based FSSC is an internationally accepted certification scheme based on a combination of ISO 22000 sector specific preventative measures and additional FSSC requirements. The ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies,” Vayanos said.
Western Cape