FDA Reminds Producers of RTE Dips to Adhere to Best Practices After Conducting Salmonella, Listeria Sampling Assignment
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released the findings of a sampling assignment that collected and tested ready-to-eat (RTE) dips and spreads with the aim of determining the presence of Listeria monocytogenesand Salmonella. The findings will be reviewed to identify commonalities related to the contamination of RTE dips and spreads, which will inform FDA guidance and program priorities.
The sampling assignment was conducted in light of five recalls of hummus products and six recalls of multi-commodity dips caused by L. monocytogenes or Salmonella contamination that occurred in 2017–2020. The foodborne illness outbreaks that caused the recalls resulted in 43 confirmed cases, 27 hospitalizations, and three miscarriages.