FDA: Food Companies Recall Hummus and Walnuts Due to Listeria Scare

On Thursday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported that St. Louis based Sherman Produce Co. and Massachusetts prepared foods manufacturer Lansal Inc., recalled hummus and walnuts because of a possible listeria contamination.

Listeria, also known as listeriosis, is a serious infection typically caused by consuming food that is contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium capable of surviving in both the presence or absence of oxygen. It primarily affects older adults, pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sherman Produce Co. recalled 241 cases of bulk walnuts after routine samplings by stores in Missouri and Illinois revealed traces of listeria. Lansal Inc. plans to recall over 14,000 pounds of hummus after the Texas Department of Health found that a 10-ounce container of the dip tested positive for listeria. On top of the recalls, the FDA urges those who purchased the products (from any of the stores that these companies supply to) to immediately throw them away or request a refund.

"Food producers recall their products from the marketplace when the products are mislabeled or when the food may present a health hazard to consumers because the food is contaminated or has caused a foodborne illness outbreak," the FDA explains on their website. "Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms of Listeria such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women."

Hummus products sold at Trader Joe's, Target, and Giant Eagle because of the contamination in Target Archer Farms Traditional Hummus. Schnucks walnuts with best buy dates between 3/15 and 4/15 will also be recalled from the retailers in Missouri and Illinois that Sherman Produce Co. supplies.

These recalls come weeks after Wal-Mart settled lawsuits with the families of 23 people who died due to listeria-contaminated cantaloupes back in 2011. These manufacturers played it smart by recalling the products and issuing warnings to help nip the problem in the bud.