The Allergen Risk Behind Cava's Spicy Hummus Recall

On July 17, Cava Foods, Inc. voluntarily recalled its packaged Spicy Hummus due to undisclosed sesame (via FDA). The recall is not due to a mistake during production, but rather, mislabeling. A third-party supplier topped the packages of the brand's Spicy Hummus with a lid that discloses the ingredients for its Spicy Labneh, which does not contain sesame. 

The recall applies to only the packaged hummus at places like Whole Foods Market, Giant Foods, and MOM's Organic Market, so if you ordered spicy hummus on your Cava bowl in-store, you do not have cause for concern. 

While no cases of allergic reactions have been reported, it is important to note that anyone with an allergy to sesame could experience potentially life-threatening reactions if they consume the Spicy Hummus. According to Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), sesame ranks as the ninth most common food allergy in the United States. Symptoms of an allergic reaction to sesame include a mild reaction like hives or a far more serious reaction like anaphylaxis. 

If you have purchased the Cava Spicy Hummus for at-home Mediterranean bowls, you can easily check it to see if it's part of the recall. The sole group of affected packages are 8 ounces, have a Best Buy Date of August 19, 2023, and were sold on or after June 16. The label on the package will also have UPC number 89832800227 and a lot number of MD023804.

Purchasers of the product can simply return the package to the store to receive a full refund. For consumers with inquiries about the recall, Cava recommends accessing its website and using the "Contact Support" link, which can easily be found at the bottom of the homepage, or go directly to the support page. Retailers with inquiries can contact Cava through an email address specifically dedicated to managing recall questions at recallmanagement@cava.com.