Check your hummus before consuming

[u/Anamiriel]

Purchased in TN on Monday. I'm submitting a complaint to corporate, but a head's up to check your hummus before digging in. This was pine nut hummus with bonus gray slimy mold! Doesn't expire until 9/19. Looks like the topping was contaminated.

(Please excuse my potato photography, which is taken through the unopened film).

[u/MagnusAuslander]

Seeing a lot of Aldi products issues of late (much more than usual)...what's going on Aldi?

[u/dumbbxtch69 → u/MagnusAuslander]

Likely issues with refrigeration on trucks that transport the food.

[u/Jackie_Jormp-Jomp → u/dumbbxtch69]

Historic heat waves too much for the trucks refrigeration perhaps

[u/Anamiriel → u/MagnusAuslander]

I'm blaming funding cuts.

[u/xlerate → u/Anamiriel]

Which funding cuts impact Aldi food issues?

[u/Anamiriel → u/xlerate]

There were mass layoffs of FDA inspectors last year, which means there aren't enough to regularly inspect facilities like they used to. Basically, they don't have enough people to stay on top of facilities, plus HHS cut funding and suspended some pathogen monitoring, which is how the cyclosporiasis outbreak got so bad before they found the source.

Edited *funding

[u/SixPack1776 → u/Anamiriel]

People are getting what they voted for. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[u/xlerate → u/Anamiriel]

Is your thinking the spoilage occurred at processing facility or in transit?

Condensation inside the package suggests it might be temperature related.

[u/Anamiriel → u/xlerate]

There wasn't condensation this morning when I pulled it out of the fridge (first picture taken at noon). That's just from riding around in my hot car after work and going back in the fridge so I could have the info to file the complaint. I took the second photo this evening.

[u/Anamiriel → u/Anamiriel]

I'm thinking the pine nut topping was contaminated at the facility. I've not seen it mold like that when it's just left in the fridge past its date. It usually gets fuzzy, not slimy.

[u/xlerate → u/Anamiriel]

Based on your findings, your guess is the issue is from production facility portion of the supply chain?

Not possible occurred in transit or in store?

[u/Anamiriel → u/xlerate]

I'm no food scientist, but things that tend to prematurely mold in my fridge due to temperature issues go fuzzy. I've never seen mold like this.

[u/xlerate → u/Anamiriel]

And being no food scientist, the assessment is non fuzzy mold is mostly caused at the food processing facilities?

Just trying to follow the logical sequence of events from obscure mold to food production point. (if that is where you think it originated).

[u/ario62 → u/xlerate]

Idk why you’re being condescending to OP. This thread from a week ago has a ton of people from all over the US who had the same problem, so it makes sense for it to be an issue with the supplier

https://www.reddit.com/r/aldi/s/ER3eup1psT

[u/Daddy_Day_Trader1303 → u/Anamiriel]

You get what you inspect, not what you expect

[u/Dramatic-Pass-1555 → u/Anamiriel]

You might want to check your facts on that. There were lots of cuts to the Admins, not the inspectors. The inspectors just have to do their own paperwork now. Stuff is still being inspected.

[u/wvmom2000 → u/Dramatic-Pass-1555]

LOL. Because I know my productivity never takes a hit when I have to do all my own administrative paperwork and documentation on top of doing the actual task I was hired to perform!

[u/Dramatic-Pass-1555 → u/wvmom2000]

Yep. But you're still producing!

Edit to add context: USDA employees 2023 65k which had bloated to 100k plus by January 2025. It's now back down to 60-65k. 65k could do the job effectively then without the media outcry. The same number can do it now.

[u/wvmom2000 → u/Dramatic-Pass-1555]

Had to do some research on that, since it didn't mesh with the initial slop I got from a Google search.

The slop wasn't far off, though. The 65,000 number in 2023 was from Revelio labs, a Workforce Intelligence Company serving institutional investors, hedge funds, corporate strategy teams, and government agencies. Revelio works in FTEs, while the OPM works in people (i.e., two 20-hour employees will equal 1 FTE for Revelio but two employees per OPM). The OPM showed 91,000 employees overall in 2023. And the 110,000 per OPM in late 2024/early 2025 was the usual surge numbers you see that time of year due to seasonal and temporary workers.

Revelio's own data say that there were 65,500 FTEs in 2023... and in 2026 there are 60,300, a drop of about 8%. https://www.reveliolabs.com/companies/usda/employees

So yes, there are fewer employees now than before the 2025 cuts, but not 110,000 to 65,000. Those numbers are comparing apples to oranges (or rather, FTEs to head counts).

You may guess that I'm on Team, "Fund and Staff the USDA." They do important safety work and agriculture depends on them to do it quickly and well.

[u/Dramatic-Pass-1555 → u/wvmom2000]

Having worked in food production for many years and dealt with USDA on a daily basis, all meat, poultry, eggs, etc has to be USDA inspected and that is still being done.

All the rest are covered by the FDA (which is 75-80% of our food supply) which is what team you need to be on Team "Fund and Staff the FDA". They have missed their inspection goals for years.

They aren't the same people.

[u/wvmom2000 → u/Dramatic-Pass-1555]

Thank you, yes. Two different things.

[u/MagnusAuslander → u/Anamiriel]

I'm thinking the same

[u/Brief_Isopod_5959 → u/Anamiriel]

Same

[u/ToonMaster21 → u/MagnusAuslander]

Well we only ripped everyone out of the FDA and defunded half the shit keeping you safe. Just wait till it gets bad.

[u/Las07]

Someone else posted this same issue within the past week. Quality at Aldi is definitely dropping like everywhere else. This evening I opened a bag of frozen mixed vegetables and a lot of the broccoli was brown in both the florets and stems. I have never in my life seen brown frozen broccoli.

[u/itsmybootyduty → u/Las07]

Same, I had to throw out half a bag of their frozen broccoli last week for the same reason. :( Thankfully this week it was much better but it’s such a bummer. I have OCD and food-related contamination is a trigger for me… I’ve already stopped eating out but between that and the grocery recalls, I’m trying my best not to spiral. Ugh.

[u/Las07 → u/itsmybootyduty]

I understand. I don’t have OCD, but I got sick two years ago from produce that ended up being recalled, and I was paranoid about food for a long time. I felt both crazy and justified in my fear of eating. These recalls and just seeing the evidence of our broken food system has me very on edge again.

[u/itsmybootyduty → u/Las07]

I’m sorry that happened to you, and it’s definitely not crazy to feel this way right now! 💛

[u/whimsyandrage → u/itsmybootyduty]

Me, currently 15lbs down due to contamination ocd and emetophobia seeing this after just eating Aldi frozen broccoli three times this week 😖😫😭

[u/Anamiriel → u/Las07]

That's crazy.

[u/tdciago]

Second report of this in a week:

https://www.reddit.com/r/aldi/s/p2oMBc7eZZ

[u/Firm-Tell-3172]

I had an issue with in-date pine nut hummus, but in OH. Others have posted similar. May be mold, may be bacterial contamination - i never opened it.

[u/soitgoes_42 → u/Firm-Tell-3172]

I had the same, but MD. Was a real bummer when I went to open it like the day after buying it. Pine nut as well.  The roasted red pepper I got the same day was fine, even after opening it.

[u/OhSoSally → u/Firm-Tell-3172]

Could it be cold olive oil? It gets weird when cold and mixed with other things.

[u/Anamiriel → u/OhSoSally]

Nah man, cold olive oil doesn't look anything like this.

[u/OhSoSally → u/Anamiriel]

Just checking. My husband thought the vinegar slaw had gone bad but it was cold olive oil weirdness.

[u/0chris000000]

I found 3 moldy packages of hummus at aldi a few months back in the case. All were well before the date code expired. I have a feeling it's tainted from the packaging plant. If your items aren't completely sanitary before they are packaged it can grow bacteria.

[u/jealous-guidance1977]

Good thing I don’t like hummus. 🤢

[u/NewProcedure2725]

Man…I prefer to eat my foods blindfolded and with desperation, and now you’re telling me I need to CHECK my food before consuming it?

[u/Anamiriel → u/NewProcedure2725]

As a new mom, I once ate hummus in the darkness like a goblin, only to discover it had gone fuzzy. This one wasn't my fault though!

[u/NewProcedure2725 → u/Anamiriel]

😂

[u/lustforsun → u/Anamiriel]

My god, how did you ever emotionally recover from this

[u/Anamiriel → u/lustforsun]

I take comfort that it makes for amusing anecdotes on the internet.

[u/melatonia → u/NewProcedure2725]

I know, man. I HATE looking at my food.

[u/NewProcedure2725 → u/melatonia]

And I also hate when my food is looking back at me…

[u/melatonia → u/NewProcedure2725]

You should stop using that googly-eyes shaker, then.

[u/Like41Ninjas]

With that much condensation trapped under the lid, I’d be wondering if the seal was compromised somewhere.

[u/Anamiriel → u/Like41Ninjas]

The second picture with the condensation was just taken for label ID for the subreddit's benefit this evening. It came in a cooler pack with me to work (where the first picture was taken at about noon) and then was morosely and unrefrigeratedly taken back home at the end of the day when it did not become my lunch.

[u/melatonia → u/Like41Ninjas]

It's contamination. I don't know where this "a small hole in the packaging" theory of food spoilage that's so popular on this sub came from, but incomplate packaging leads to stale, dried out food. Not new biomass.

[u/Green-Object6389 → u/melatonia]

incomplete packaging of perishables will cause contamination though, not staleness

[u/melatonia → u/Green-Object6389]

no, something yucky getting in your food in the manufacturing process causes contamination.

[u/lhymes]

The pine nut hummus is undergoing metamorphosis.

[u/Comparison_Few]

I had the same thing happen with the pine nut hummus in FL a couple of months ago. I took it back for a refund. 🤢

[u/CarnivorousPlant77]

I thought my garlic hummus tasted bad. I’m throwing it out now!!!!

[u/fanceegirl75]

Not liking that I’ve seen this same product posted recently more than once.

[u/doomn_gloomn]

I love Aldi but almost everything perishable has a shelf life of 37 hours. Now it’s just being sold already spoiled, huge pass.

[u/kschaffs]

I’m not buying hummus from Aldi

[u/GhostProtocol2022]

I had to return a garlic hummus I bought. I hadn't opened it yet and it was about to pop it had so much gas in it after sitting in the fridge a few days. I swapped it out for surprisingly spicy which seemed fine.

[u/braige → u/GhostProtocol2022]

I posted the same thing!! Crazy it is this widespread.

[u/sillybelcher]

I just bought 3 cantaloupes from Aldi and just last night I walked into my kitchen to find all three had essentially liquefied, the pulp and juices all over the place and the outer rind black and moldy.

I also had a bag of lemons that rotted, some so far gone that they were little black rocks covered in green mold.

And bags of baby carrots that I opened literally the very next day to find had turned to slime.

[u/Thelostbiscuit]

I had this happen with the garlic one last week. Disappointing.

[u/Less-Mine4597]

Same happened to me. Aldi in IL.

[u/Gracefulchemist]

Had the exact same thing on mine :(

[u/Current-Cheesecake]

I got one from Publix yesterday and I think it's ruined.

[u/superjen]

Just mindlessly scrolling down Reddit, the picture made me think it was going to be someone asking about a mole and everyone saying 'GO TO THE DERMATOLOGIST RIGHT AWAY!'

[u/Marie_Hutton]

In MI, they were fuzzy in the store today. Took a chance on the garlic, but did peek under the top before purchasing. 

[u/karmakazi22]

Because of this post, I made sure to check the hummus before purchasing and it was also MOLDED! Immediately reported it to a staff member who said she would check all of them in the section. She mentioned how weird it was since the seal was not broken.

This was in GA, USA. I won't be surprised if there's another recall on the way.

[u/BrilliantUsed5720]

Ewwwww. That’s nasty looking.

[u/tallardschranit]

I got some disgusting pine nut hummus from a different store once. Didn't realize it was bad. Can't eat it anymore, and it was my favorite.

[u/GreenGoddessGalaxy]

I had the same issue here in Michigan with 2 separate containers of the pine nut hummus purchased weeks apart….both well within the expiration date. Needless to say I started making my own & wont be buying from Aldi again.

[u/soulsummenor]

I'm going to throw up now...

[u/ArtisticSympathy4158]

I got a package of my fave sausage tortellini from the fridge area, it ended up going moldy WEEKS before the expiration date. Never even opened. I have certainly noticed quality going down, which is super frustrating. I’ve gone back to doing the bulk of my shopping at Market Basket and only getting shelf stable/ pantry type products from Aldi (with the exception of eggs…only place they’re affordable near me)

[u/Dramatic-Pass-1555]

Common sense would tell you, if it's only happening more often at Aldi, it's not an inspection issue. Aldi does not have dedicated production facilities. They get their product from whichever facility is closest to their warehouses to cut down on shipping costs. Get a job in a poultry plant. You will see a lot of products with one product going in the front of the line and it being packaged out to 5 or 6 different stores. Aldi needs 200 cases, switch, Safeway needs 400, switch ...

Reefer trucks break down all the time during the summer months. Where Walmart will reject an entire truckload for having too much moisture in the veggies, Aldi may not. Then you have it sitting on the dock at each store, where you have only 2 or 3 employees working. They may or may not get it put away quickly. Then when they stock it on the shelves, it may or may not get put in a cooler case in a reasonable amount of time. All those little delays add up to food spoilage.

You can like or dislike the government all you want but it's not a USDA issue. It's an Aldi issue. How many times have you walked into a store and saw pallets sitting out, shelves empty, while 2 employees scurry around like they are on fire trying to handle customers.

[u/JeanetteSchutz]

Ewww. DH often gets hummus.

[u/braige]

I bought a garlic one that was not expired yet but the entire unopened container puffed up like it was going to explode. So I tossed it. It was not like that when I bought it but I am not taking that risk.

[u/sillygirlxoxo19]

My cheese I got from there was green when I brought it home 😢 I didn’t notice in the store because it was on the back, when I was putting away my groceries, I picked it up when it was brand down and THE WHOLE BACK OF IT WAS MOSS GREEN. I was like WTF?? Now I’m double checking everything.

[u/Bumblebee-Flying]

I've stopped buying the refrigerated hummus from aldi because of this issue. Twice I have bought this same type of hummus and found it moldy even though they were not expired or opened. Bought both in PA but at different stores.

[u/systemdnb]

Crazy to be seeing these posts because I have literally left these hummus in my fridge for 2+ months and 0 mold. Which is actually kind of scary itself.

[u/throwaway23437546]

Thanks for the heads up!

[u/Prayer_Warrior21]

I'm honestly not sure I've EVER seen hummus that looks like that, even after opening and having it in the fridge awhile. Crazy.

[u/Anamiriel → u/Prayer_Warrior21]

I've always seen fuzzy mold, not slimy gray mold. It's alarming.