The supermarket apologised for the risk to people’s health
Sainsbury’s has recalled two types of its own-brand houmous because eating it could make people sick. There is a risk that certain types of dips could contain a strain of E.coli.
The alert was issued for the supermarket by the Food Standard’s Agency on Friday night (September 12). The own-branded products including two types of Houmous were being taken off shelves “as a precautionary step”.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) issues recalls for a variety of reasons, including when products contain allergens that are not disclosed on the packaging or if plastic is detected in the item. When a product is recalled, for any reason, the FSA shares details on what you should do if you have bought the item, as well as detailed information on why the item has been pulled from sale.
In this case, Sainsbury’s has had to pull its JS Classic Houmous and JS Lemon & Coriander Houmous because these products may contain Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC).
In a statement, an FSA spokesperson wrote: “The products listed above might be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Symptoms caused by this organism include diarrhoea, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhoea, and haemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and can be fatal.”
Affected products have a use-by date of September 13, 2025 (Classic) and September 14, 2025 (Lemon & Coriander). You can check if any houmous is affected by seeing if the batch codes on the packaging match the recall (8001352 for Classic, 8062998 for Lemon & Coriander)
Houmus covered by the recall can be returned to Sainsbury’s branches for a full refund. Customers do not need their receipt to claim a full refund.
Point of sale notices will be displayed in all Sainsbury’s stores that are selling these products. Signs will be up until October 3, 2025.
What are the signs and symptoms of this kind of E. coli poisoning?
According to the UK Health Security Agency, people infected with STEC can have a combination of three symptoms. These include:
- diarrhoea (about 50% of cases have bloody diarrhoea)
- stomach cramps
- fever
Symptoms can last up to two weeks in cases without complications, but in some cases, there can be a risk of haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), which is a serious, life-threatening condition resulting in kidney failure.
There is no specific treatment for STEC infection. The illness will usually clear itself within a week.
Drink plenty of fluids, as diarrhoea can lead to dehydration. Antibiotics are not recommended and are likely to increase the risk of complications such as HUS.