New Zealand Food Safety is supporting Davis Trading Company in its recall of their imported Sesame Seed Kernels White Hulled retail packs due to the possible presence of Salmonella.
"Salmonellosis can be serious, so it’s important that people do not consume this product," said New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle. "If you can’t return it to the place of purchase, you should throw it out."
Sesame Seed Kernels White Hulled with a batch number of AAI/3890 and P.O. No of 780004 are affected by this recall.
The affected product is sold at Davis Food Ingredients, Auckland, who on-sell to supermarkets and smaller retailers nationwide.
New Zealand Food Safety is in the process of working with the food business to trace the product and further recalls are a possibility.
Visit New Zealand Food Safety’s recall page for up-to-date information and photographs of the affected product.
"Symptoms of salmonellosis appear within 12 to 72 hours and include abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Illness usually lasts between 4 and 7 days but, in more severe cases, it can go on for up to 10 days and cause more serious illness."
If you have consumed any of the product and are concerned for your health, contact your health professional, or call Healthline on 0800 61 11 16.
New Zealand Food Safety has not received any notifications of associated illness.
The affected product has been imported from India. Food importers are responsible for the safety of the food they bring in to sell in New Zealand.
The product under recall was identified through routine testing and has been removed from the store shelves. It has not been exported.
"As is our usual practice, New Zealand Food Safety will work with Davis Trading Company to understand how the contamination occurred and prevent its recurrence," Mr Arbuckle said.
The vast majority of food sold in New Zealand is safe, but sometimes problems can occur. Help keep yourself and your family safe by subscribing to our recall alerts. Information on how to subscribe is on the food recall page.
For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 00 83 33 or email info@mpi.govt.nz
For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328.
