Can you eat hummus while pregnant? A dietitian’s perspective.

Are you wondering if  you can eat hummus when pregnant? 

Until I started doing research for this article, I didn’t realize that hummus had become such a controversial food during pregnancy. 

One that you, as a pregnant woman, may be currently encouraged to avoid. 

But is hummus while pregnant truly dangerous? 

Yes, you can safely eat hummus while pregnant in most cases. While certain global health agencies voice caution due to rare Listeria or Salmonella contamination risks, commercial, pasteurized hummus or fresh homemade varieties are highly nutritious and safe when stored and handled properly.

Read on to find out why hummus has become a blacklisted food in some parts of the world, and how you can safely keep this nutrient-dense spread in your prenatal diet.

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Table of contents

• Main concerns about eating hummus during pregnancy
• Risks of food poisoning during pregnancy
• Is it really that risky to eat hummus while pregnant?
• How often have pregnant women gotten sick from hummus?
• Practically any food can become contaminated with Salmonella or Listeria
• Benefits of eating hummus while pregnant
• The bottom line

Why are there concerns about eating hummus while pregnant?

Hummus is a vegetable spread made of pureed chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, oil, salt, and spices. 

It has a high water content and low acidity. This combination makes hummus a perfect medium for harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and Listeria to grow (1).

Over the last few years, there have been a few recalls of hummus and tahini due to contamination with such bacteria (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7).

This raised concern about whether or not it is safe for pregnant women to eat hummus. 

In sum: Hummus has a high water content and low acidity. This makes it easier for bacteria to grow in it. Hummus and tahini recalls can make you wonder whether you can safely eat hummus when pregnant.

Food poisoning during pregnancy is especially risky

Unless extremely lucky, you’ve likely had a bout of food poisoning at some point in your life. 

Besides being unpleasant, most people don’t experience any long-lasting negative effects from such an experience. 

Food poisoning during pregnancy is a slightly different experience. 

When you’re pregnant, you may not be left with any long-lasting negative effects, but your baby may. 

The two most common harmful foodborne pathogens during pregnancy are Salmonella and Listeria. 

In many cases, a pregnant woman infected with Listeria doesn’t have any symptoms. 

However, becoming infected with Listeria during pregnancy can have devastating effects on the baby. These include miscarriage, premature birth, or stillbirth (8).

Pregnant women may also be up to 18 times more likely to become infected with the Listeria bacteria when compared to non-pregnant women (8).

As a side note, not all pregnant women are symptom-free when infected with Listeria.

Some do experiencing influenza-like symptoms such as fever, headaches, diarrhea, muscle aches and pains, or other digestive-related problems (8).

Unlike is the case for Listeria, it appears you’re no more likely to become infected with Salmonella when pregnant than non-pregnant (9).

However, if you do get a Salmonella infection, you may have a higher risk of miscarriage, preterm birth, or low birth weight (10, 11).

Symptoms of Salmonella include fever, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.

In sum: The two most harmful forms of food poisoning during pregnancy are caused by the Salmonella or Listeria bacteria. Food poisoning during pregnancy, even if symptomless, can be especially harmful to your baby.

Is it too risky to eat hummus while pregnant?

This depends on who you ask. And on your own personal risk tolerance. 

Hummus isn’t currently on the list of foods to avoid according to health agencies in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and most parts of Europe. 

However, Israelian, Australian, and New Zealand-based health authorities have added hummus to their list of foods pregnant women should avoid. 

Each person has a different level of comfort with risk. 

Like most things in pregnancy, it’s up to you to weigh the risks versus the benefits for your own particular situation with all the information in hand. 

Here are a couple of points to consider when deciding whether eating hummus while pregnant is the right decision for you. 

Hummus is a very unlikely source of Salmonella 

When I first came across this topic, I was instantly curious about how many pregnant women have actually gotten Salmonella or Listeria from hummus to date.

I didn’t come across any Listeria-specific information, but did find data on Salmonella in hummus. 

The study I found reports that between 1995 and 2022, a total of 1,662 cases of Salmonella have been linked to tahini, or tahini-containing products like hummus or halva worldwide (12).

This may seem alarming at first glance. But let’s put these numbers into perspective. 

A total of 1,662 cases over 27 years averages around 62 cases of Salmonella linked to tahini or tahini-containing foods like hummus per year, worldwide.

In comparison, the same study reports a total of ± 80 million cases of foodborne Salmonella, per year, worldwide (12).

In other words, cases of Salmonella caused by hummus or tahini represent only 62 of the 80 million Salmonella yearly cases caused by all types of foods put together. 

This is basically the equivalent of one single water drop in a very large water-filled bucket. 

Keep in mind that these numbers are for the whole population, not pregnant women specifically. 

So the amount of Salmonella infections caused by hummus or tahini in pregnant women is likely even lower. 

In my opinion, this hardly justifies recommending that all women avoid eating tahini or hummus during the whole duration of their pregnancy. 

Practically any food can become contaminated with Salmonella or Listeria

In 2026, the U.S. Centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) reported raw oysters, broccoli sprouts, jalapenos, backyard poultry, and shell eggs as foodborne sources of Salmonella. 

The year before that, backyard poultry, eggs, pistachio cream, cucumbers, and alfalfa sprouts were part of the list. And in the years before that, yet other foods were the most likely culprits (13). 

The same can be said to foodborne cases of Listeria who have been linked to foods ranging from soft cheeses and sliced deli meat, to peaches, leafy greens, and Enoki mushrooms to name a few (14).

I’m bringing this up to illustrate that practically any food can become contaminated with Salmonella or Listeria.

In my opinion, it’s not realistic nor beneficial for pregnant women to avoid all of the foods that have been linked to Salmonella or Listeria in the past. Especially in foods with minimal reports of contamination.

Doing so would leave very little food options to eat during your pregnancy.

Eating hummus while pregnant offers some benefits

Hummus (and the tahini used to make it) are incredibly nutritious foods. 

Hummus is rich in protein, fiber, healthy fats, and beneficial plant compounds (15).

It’s also rich in folate, iron, calcium, and zinc. These are vitamins and minerals that plant-based diets tend to be naturally low in, yet are essential to a healthy pregnancy (15).

Research reports that eating hummus may help improve the overall quality of the diet. It may also help with appetite control and improve blood sugar levels after a meal (16).

Not all hummus is equally risky

Where you get your hummus, how you prepare it, and how you store it can all influence your risk of food poisoning.

Heat kills bacteria. Therefore, hummus that’s been baked at high temperatures – for instance, as a topping on pizza – is much less likely to cause an issue. 

Similarly, using a tahini that’s been pasteurized or made from roasted sesame seeds to make your hummus may also reduce the risk of it becoming contaminated with harmful bacteria (17).

Colder temperatures do not kill bacteria, but do slow down their growth. For this reason, keeping your tahini and hummus in the refrigerator once opened may also lower the risk of food poisoning (17).

Here are a few additional key points to keep in mind. 

• Choose homemade or pasteurized hummus over store-bought whenever possible. Avoid eating hummus from open market stalls or buffets.
• Refrigerate hummus and tahini at 4 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Consume the hummus within 24-48 hours of making, or opening it. 
• Use pasteurized tahini or one made from roasted sesame seeds. You may also  simply skip the tahini in your hummus recipe.
• Wash your hands prior to preparing or opening your hummus.
• Remember to also wash all of your fresh ingredients if making hummus at home, including the lemon’s peel prior to slicing it.

In sum: The risk of getting Salmonella or Listeria from tahini or a tahini-containing food like hummus during pregnancy is very small. This small risk unlikely justifies completely avoiding hummus while pregnant. 

To sum it all up

So can you eat hummus when pregnant? 

Most people consider hummus generally safe during pregnancy. 

However, the answer to this question may vary based on where you live, who you ask, and your personal level of risk tolerance. 

Few foods have zero risk of contamination with harmful bacteria. 

That said, based on the information available to date, the risk of hummus causing food poisoning during pregnancy appears to be quite small. 

If you wish to eat hummus yet err on the side of caution, consider making your own at home, using the food preparation and storage tips outlined above.