In its third recall notice in four days, the Ministry of Primary Industries has included My Food Bag products, Papamoa Spice King brand sesame seeds and Binn Inn brand sesame seeds amongst other products.

MPI's Food Safety branch says it had not received any notifications of illness, but anyone who has eaten a recalled item and has concerns should contact a health professional.

My Food Bag has also issued recall notices for sesame seed products across three weeks of its meal programme, due to the possible presence of salmonella.

In an email to customers, My Food Bag says 17 items from recent deliveries - including dressings, pastes and sauces - were affected.

The products would have been in deliveries dating from July 6 to their latest delivery, which would have started arriving on Saturday July 20, the meal-kit home-delivery service says.

"For your safety, if you have not consumed any of these products, please refrain from consuming them and dispose of them immediately.

"If you have consumed any of these products and have any concerns, we recommend seeking medical advice."

My Food Bag says if the ingredients had not been used, customers could seek a credit.

"Please rest assured that we are working closely with our supplier and MPI to address the issue and prevent any further incidents."

Further to the recall of sesame seeds from importer Davis Trading Company, the following brands have now been identified as containing seeds that are subject to recall. Product names, date markings and pictures of each affected product are in the links below.

Up-to-date information about food safety recalls is on the Food Safety NZ recalls page, here

• Mahadeo's Spices and Produce Warehouse brand Sesame Seed
• Qandahari Bazaar brand Sesame Seed
• Papamoa Spice King brand Sesame Seed
• Various Bread Products containing Sesame Seeds
• Kiki brand Seed Cracker Mix Sea Salt and Kiki brand Seed Cracker Mix Chilli Cumin
• Marinated Beef Bulgogi
• Apna Spice and Grocery store brand Sesame Seed
• Food 4 Less Otahuhu brand Sesame Seed
• Bin Inn brand Sesame Seed
• Classic Taste brand Sesame Seed
• Grand Market brand Sesame Seed
• My Food Bag Ltd White Sesame Seed and products containing sesame seeds
• Bare Refill Grocery brand White Sesame Seeds
• Scrumptious brand Sesame Seeds
• Sesame Seed

On Saturday, July 20, following Friday’s recall of imported sesame seeds, New Zealand Food Safety supported further recalls of sesame seed products due to the possible presence of Salmonella.

"We have been working hard to identify and contact businesses that received the affected batch of sesame seeds from importer Davis Trading Company," says New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle. 

"This can be a complex process given the number of businesses involved."

A number of recalls are being published on the New Zealand Food Safety food recall webpage at present for a range of food businesses.

"As this is an evolving issue, with additional recalls possible, concerned consumers can reference our recall page for up-to-date information, including pictures, or subscribe to our recall alerts to receive email updates on recalls. Information on how to subscribe is on the New Zealand Food Safety food recall page.

"People can get seriously ill from salmonellosis, so either return the products to the place of purchase or throw them away.

Products recalled this week that contain the sesame seeds are:

• Various Bread Products containing Sesame Seeds
• Kiki brand Seed Cracker Mix Sea Salt and Kiki brand Seed Cracker Mix Chilli Cumin
• Marinated Beef Bulgogi
• Apna Spice and Grocery store brand Sesame Seed
• Food 4 Less Otahuhu brand Sesame Seed
• Bin Inn brand Sesame Seed
• Classic Taste brand Sesame Seed
• Grand Market brand Sesame Seed
• My Food Bag Ltd White Sesame Seed and products containing sesame seeds
• Bare Refill Grocery brand White Sesame Seeds
• Scrumptious brand Sesame Seeds
• Sesame Seed

"Symptoms of salmonellosis appear within 12 to 72 hours and include abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting,” says Vincent.

“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 eaten any of the product and are concerned for your health, contact your health professional, or call Healthline on 0800 611 116.

New Zealand Food Safety has not received any notifications of associated illness.

"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," says Vincent.

Friday, July 19 update:

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," says 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,” says Vincent.

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 New Zealand Food Safety recall alerts. Information on how to subscribe is on the food recall page.

Recalled food products

For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 00 83 33 or email info@mpi.govt.nz

Salmonella found in imported sesame seed-based products led to the biggest food safety recall in 2023 overall, in products such as tahini and hummus.