A tahina product sold in selected supermarkets in New Zealand is being recalled due to the possible presence of salmonella.
Tahina – also commonly called tahini – is a ground sesame butter or paste traditionally used in Middle Eastern cuisine.
The recall impacted 800g Durra brand tahina produced by Aldiery's Mediterranean Market Ltd.
Impacted products had a best-before date of 06/04/2027 and a batch marking of Lot No. 78.
New Zealand Food Safety said the tahina was sold in "a few ethnic supermarkets in Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington".
Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said it was important that people did not eat the affected product.
"You can return it to the place of purchase for a refund. If that’s not possible, throw it out," he said.
NZ Food Safety had not received any notifications of associated illness.
Aldiery's Mediterranean Market Ltd also apologised to customers for any inconvenience the recall might cause.
Tahini, made of sesame seeds, was a product with a "high risk" of salmonella contamination, according to Food Standards Australia New Zealand.
This was due to factors such as the quality of water irrigating the seeds; the use of untreated manure as fertiliser; animal access to crops; how the seeds were dried; and the cleanliness of the drying area.
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