FDA sample collection of FY21-22 and analysis of domestic refrigerated RTE dips and spreads

In 2021, the FDA collected domestic ready-to-eat (RTE) refrigerated dips and spreads to test for Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. The assignment was established due to the five recalls of hummus products and six recalls of multi-commodity dips due to contamination with L. monocytogenes or Salmonella from FY2017 through FY2020. In FY2019, there were two outbreaks of Salmonella linked to Tahini (12 confirmed cases, 1 hospitalization). In FY2017, two outbreaks of L. monocytogenes were linked to hummus (31 confirmed cases, 26 hospitalizations, 3 fetal losses); one of the outbreaks may have contributed to 3 deaths. The result of the assignment suggests that Salmonella spp. And L. monocytogenes were not widespread in the multi-commodity RTE dips and spreads collected nationwide. From FY2017 through FY2022, there were a total of 22 recalls of dips and spreads due to potential Salmonella or L. monocytogenes contamination; of these, hummus and cheese dips and spreads make up 64% of the recalls (10 hummus recalls, 4 cheese dips and spread recalls). The FDA detected Salmonella spp. in one sample and L. monocytogenes in three samples out of the 747 collected. The FDA found 23 positive environmental samples, all from one firm, indicating that the firm's established controls were ineffective. @ https://www.fda.gov/food/sampling-protect-food-supply/fy21-22-sample-collection-and-analysis-domestic-refrigerated-rte-dips-and-spreads