HHS NEWS

P97-18                        Bradford Stone:     301-443-3285

June 20, 1997                 

                              Consumer Hotline:   800-532-4440



     FDA REISSUES WARNING ABOUT FOODS FROM CEDAR'S MEDITERRANEAN

 FOODS, INC.'S PLAISTOW, NH FACILITY, CITING INADEQUATE RECALL



     The Food and Drug Administration today is reissuing its

nationwide warning against the purchase and consumption of hommus

dips and salads produced by Cedar's Mediterranean Foods, Inc., of

Plaistow Road, N.H., and is calling for the recall of all such

foods manufactured or processed at the firm's Plaistow Road,

N.H., facility.  FDA is taking this action in light of evidence

that the firm's recall efforts to date have not adequately

removed all potentially affected products from the market.  The

agency is also concerned that the firm has failed to provide

adequate information about which product lines may have been

involved and how they may have been distributed. 

     FDA initially issued a warning on June 12, because of the

possible contamination of the firm's hommus dips and salads with

Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and

sometimes fatal infections in newborns and infants, frail or

elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.  Even

though healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms

that may include as high fever, severe headache, stiffness,

nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infection can cause

miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.  

     Although Cedar's Mediterranean, Inc., agreed to recall

hommus dips, garden lentil and taboule salads on June 12, FDA has

learned  that these products are still being found for sale in

some retail stores and that some customers of Cedar's had not

been notified of the recall.  The agency has also learned that

although most of Cedar's Mediterranean, Inc.'s, line consists of

a variety of hommus dips and salads sold in round 8 oz.- and 16

oz.-clear plastic packages under the "Cedar's" brand label, other

products may also be affected.  These include salsa dips produced

at the Plaistow Road, N.H., plant and grape leaves products that

were handled at that facility.

     Other hommus dips and salad products, marketed under the

"Vita" and "Mr. Hommus" label, were produced by Cedar's and are

also under recall.  

     In addition, FDA has learned that the Cedar's Plaistow Road,

N.H., plant also manufactures hommus and salads for distribution

in Canada under the "Sidon" brand name.  FDA is notifying

Canadian authorities that these "Sidon" brand products are also

potentially contaminated. 

     FDA's warning does not apply to the firm's baked products

such as breads, muffins and tortillas, which are produced at

another facility. 

     FDA continues to warn consumers not to consume any other

Cedar's Mediterranean, Inc., produced food.  



Instead, they should return any of the firm's hommus dips or

salad products to the place of purchase for a full refund.  

     Consumers who have questions about these products can call

FDA at 1-800-FDA-4010.  Consumers who believe they might have

been injured by consuming these products should consult their

physician.

                            # # # # #



This recall includes:



     All Cedar's, Vita, Mr. Hommus and Sidon* brands of



     --   hommus dips, including baba ghannouj

     --   garden lentil salad

     --   taboule salad

     --   salsa

     --   grape leaves





     *Sidon brand is distributed in Canada