Hummus Controversy at Princeton

A group of students at Princeton University has sponsored a referendum that asks the school's Student Government Association to order Princeton Dining Services to offer an alternative to the Sabra branded hummus currently offered exclusively in the school's retail dining locations, reports the Daily Princetonian. The group, the Princeton Committee on Palestine (PCP), objects to Sabra because it is partly owned by the Strauss Group, which provides care packages and recreation equipment to a brigade within the Israeli Defense Forces that some allege are connected to human rights violations.

Sabra hummus is sold in Princeton Dining Services retail outlets only. The hummus served in the residential colleges dining halls is made from scratch using a variety of recipes developed by department chefs.

The products sold in the retail outlets "are a direct result of customer preferences based on current industry trends," says Princeton Dining Services Director Stu Orefice. "We have met with members of the PCP and will continue to keep the dialogue going to determine what best meets the needs of all campus members," he adds.

The referendum question was placed on the University Student Government runoff election ballot on Monday, Nov. 29th.

UPDATE: Princeton students rejected the hummus referendum by a vote of 1,014 to 699