Hummus: Every Food Safety Answer

This page pulls together the 5 hummus answers on the site: how long it keeps, what the date on the label means, where it stands in pregnancy and what applies while breastfeeding. The table gives the short answer for each; the page behind each row gives the full reasoning, the source and the exceptions.

In pregnancy: Shop-bought chilled hummus, in date and kept refrigerated, is generally fine in pregnancy — avoid hummus that's been sitting out (buffets, deli counters).

Worth knowing: Shop-bought hummus that is pasteurised and contains preservatives (the USDA FoodKeeper’s ‘commercial’ entry) is allowed 3 months while the tub is sealed but only 7 days once you open it. Opening is what matters: from then on the clock runs from the day the lid comes off, and a clean spoon every time (never a double-dipped chip) keeps that week honest.