( CNN ) The Question : How can I know if my food is safe to eat after a specific product recall ? The Answer : Many of us shed a few tears over the recent Sabra hummus recall ( even though we are perfectly capable of making our own at home ) , but that sadness quickly transformed into anxiety when we looked inside our refrigerators and saw the potentially tainted culprit sitting there on the shelf . To assuage any fears , we asked John Swartzberg , M.D. , a clinical professor at the University of California at Berkeley , to walk us through the process of determining if our favorite dip was still safe to eat . Related : Amy 's Kitchen Recalls More Than 70,000 Cases Of Food Due To Fear Of Listeria Contamination . The first step , according to Swartzberg , is to go to the Food and Drug Administration 's website and find the official report for the recalled product you 're worried about . Each report will list recalled items with their product codes , which are typically categorized by the Universal Product Code ( the number adjacent to the barcode ) or the Stock Keeping Unit ( a specific number that would only be valid at the store where the product is being sold ) . They will also include the recalled products ' use-by dates , and the geographical areas affected . `` The recall is not based on the use-by dates , though , '' said Swartzberg . `` If the product is within the use-by date , it should still be recalled . This makes sense , because the product was contaminated prior to purchase and no matter how 'fresh ' the product is , it still may be contaminated . '' After cross-checking these details , you should have a strong sense of whether your food product is safe to eat or needs to be trashed right away . But as far as avoiding potential problems before learning such details about a food recall , the consumer is at an automatic disadvantage . Related : 14 Habits Of People With A Healthy Relationship To Food . `` There 's nothing the consumer can do prior to learning about the recall , '' said Dr. Swartzberg . `` Discarding or returning the product to the store is all that can be done . '' In the case of this specific hummus recall , while there was no evidence that it caused any consumer illness , the product 's routine sample last month revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes . Consuming such bacteria can lead to listeriosis , a serious infection , and Dr. Swartzberg recommends that anyone who has consumed a listeria-laden food should let their physician know as soon as possible . `` Listeria survives well at cool temperatures , '' he said . `` Most bacteria and fungi do not -- that 's why we refrigerate . Healthy people are at low risk for disease , but it can happen . Those at greatest risk for disease are the elderly , immunocompromised and pregnant . '' To learn more about the best food safety practices , visit UC Berkeley 's Wellness website . Related : 8 Things Nutrition Experts Wish You Would Stop Saying About Food .
see the manufacturer 's official report for the recalled product . If the product is within the use - by category , it should still be recalled .