LONDON: Retailer Marks & Spencer has withdrawn all houmous products from its stores after finding traces of salmonella while testing two products at a supplier.
The company said it is conducting a thorough investigation with its supplier to find out how this has happened. It announced the withdrawal Thursday after it decided to remove all its houmous products by way of precaution.
The company said it has already notified the Food Standards Agency and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. The supplier involved as been identified as Katsouris of London, which is a unit of Bakkavor group of Iceland.
The company said it has not received any complaints from customers or any report of illness after consuming the houmous products.
Salmonella, a bacterium, causes stomach bugs.
A spokesperson of the company said, routine microbiological testing conducted by the supplier indicated the presence of salmonella in two houmous products, which were dated for use by 15 February. These were immediately withdrawn from sale, he added.
The two affected products are Piquillo Pepper Topped Houmous and Reduced Fat Houmous.
Customers having any Marks and Spencer houmous products can return them to a store to receive a full refund, the company said.
Katsouris is one of the major suppliers of houmous in Britain and a spokesperson for the company said the contamination was noticed only in products it supplied to Marks & Spencer. However, it is examining products it had supplied to other retailers.
