Listeria Tainted Enoki Mushrooms Prompt MD Consumer Advisory

BALTIMORE, MD — The Maryland Department of Health is warning consumers not to eat enoki mushrooms produced in China because of potential contamination with listeria bacteria. A consumer advisory said the mushrooms were produced by Shandong Youhe Biotechnology Co Ltd. in Shandong Province, China.

Samples collected and tested by the state health department in early January were positive for the listeria bacteria. The state health department is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other states to investigate the source of the contamination.

This product is not currently linked to the ongoing recall of enoki mushrooms that was issued by Utopia Foods Inc of Glendale, New York, on Dec. 13, 2022, and expanded on Jan. 13, 2023.

The enoki mushrooms are sold in a 7.05 ounce (200g) clear plastic package with a brown and green label.

Listeriosis is a life-threatening invasive infection caused by eating listeria–contaminated food, the state health department said in a news release. The disease primarily affects pregnant individuals and their newborns, older adults, and persons with immune systems weakened by cancer, cancer treatments, or other serious conditions like diabetes, kidney failure, liver disease, and HIV/AIDS.

A person with listeriosis generally has fever and muscle aches and can have a bloodstream infection or meningitis. Although people can sometimes develop listeriosis up to two months after eating contaminated food, symptoms usually start within several days, often with diarrhea and vomiting.

Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics.

Anyone showing symptoms should contact their healthcare provider, health officials said.

Listeria is bacteria that can be found in dust, soil, water, sewage and in the environment, where produce can become contaminated.

If you have purchased these products, throw them away.

In addition, MDH and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention shared safety tips for all other enoki mushrooms:

• Thoroughly cook enoki mushrooms before serving or consuming them, do not serve or consume them raw.
• Do not use raw enoki mushrooms as garnish.
• Do not add raw enoki mushrooms on top of soup dishes right before serving. The enoki mushrooms will not get hot enough to kill listeria.
• Keep raw enoki mushrooms separate from foods that won’t be cooked.
• Wash hands after handling raw enoki mushrooms.