Foodstuffs South Island has been fined $39,000 for selling hummus products that were subject to a recall due to the possible presence of salmonella.
The company was convicted in the Christchurch District Court on a single charge under the Food Act 2014, following a prosecution by New Zealand Food Safety.
“This was a major recall of nearly 83,000 units of hummus products. However, Foodstuffs South Island sold 39 of the affected units to consumers. These should have been removed from shelves to minimise risk.”
“Food recalls are done to protect consumers from potential harm. People rightly expect food businesses to conduct them effectively and efficiently.”
“On this occasion there was a significant failure in Foodstuffs South Island’s recall system, and product subject to the recall was distributed to stores for sale to the public.”
In February 2023, Foodstuffs South Island received notification from a supplier that a batch of tahini used in their hummus products tested positive for salmonella. This triggered the recall of 82,740 units of various affected products.
“While there were no confirmed reports of associated illnesses, we are committed to holding food businesses to account to ensure food recalls go smoothly so that risk to consumers is minimised,” Arbuckle said.
While most food sold in New Zealand is safe, occasional issues can arise. It is essential for food businesses to have strong recall systems in place and to regularly test their effectiveness to ensure consumer safety.