FDA issues warning against serious allergen in hummus

The FDA announced a recall of hummus sold in East Coast specialty food stores as they indicated that there is a risk of temporary or medically reversible harmful health consequences from the delicious edible.

Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection is warning the public that Carrot Top Country Kitchens LLC is pulling five specific varieties of its hummus from store shelves due to an allergen they add but did not declare.

The class II recall was initiated because the products contain sesame, an ingredient not listed on the label and a major food allergen.

The affected flavors include Lemon Garlic, Lime Ginger, White Truffle, Sundried Tomato, Caper and Cherry Pepper Hummus. Each recalled product comes in an 8-ounce plastic container labeled with its flavor.

The hummus was distributed to the Rochambeau Farm Store in Bedford, New York, and was also sold at various farmers' markets within Connecticut.

However, due to the undeclared allergen, sesame, the FDA has recalled the product.

A sesame allergy develops when a genetic predisposition meets environmental triggers, crucially influenced by whether sesame is first encountered through the skin, which can sensitize, or the diet, which can protect.

At some point in life, the immune system can become sensitive to sesame without a person having any symptoms of allergy.

When a person is re-exposed to sesame, the immune system is already on high alert and mounts an aggressive response, producing antibodies called IgE that produce inflammatory chemicals called histamines.

Symptoms usually begin within minutes to two hours and can affect multiple organ systems and can present themselves as hives, itching, or tingling in the mouth, but it can rapidly progress to severe respiratory distress, a dangerous drop in blood pressure and systemic shock, a dangerous state known as anaphylaxis.