Packets of enoki mushrooms have been recalled across the U.S. over fears of possible contamination with a “serious and sometimes fatal” species of bacteria, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has confirmed.
Enoki King Mushroom Farm of Ventura, California, recalled its 5.3-ounce packages of Enoki Mushroom due to concerns over possible contamination with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. The products were distributed from California and New York to retail stores nationwide.
The potential contamination was first reported during routine product testing by Maryland State Department of Health after it identified the presence of the bacterium in the Enoki packages.
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Listeria are a group of foodborne bacteria and the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While the infection is usually mild, newborns, pregnant people, adults over 65 and those with weakened immune systems are vulnerable to more serious infections, which the FDA has described a “serious and sometimes fatal.”
Signs and symptoms vary depending on the individual and the site of the infection. In most cases, the bacteria stay within the gut and cause the expected symptoms of food poisoning, such as nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain and vomiting. Usually, these start within 24 hours of eating contaminated food and last for one to three days.
However, in some cases, the bacteria can spread beyond the gut and affect other parts of the body. Symptoms of this so-called “invasive listeriosis” can be more severe and usually start within two weeks of eating the contaminated food.
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Symptoms include:
- Fever
- Flu-like symptoms, such as muscle aches and fatigue
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Confusion
- Loss of balance
- Seizures.
The CDC says that roughly 1 in 6 nonpregnant people with invasive listeriosis die. Symptoms in pregnant people are usually mild, but the infection leads to a significant risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn child.
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According to the FDA, no illnesses have been reported in connection with the current Enoki recall. However, distribution has been suspended and consumers who purchased any package of Enoki with the code 4877 have been urged to return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund.
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