Public health officials have alerted the public to an ongoing Salmonella mushroom outbreak and mushroom recall. Restaurants should not sell or serve recalled mushrooms cautions the FDA.
Salmonella Mushroom Outbreak
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health officials together, are investigating an ongoing multistate outbreak of Salmonella Stanley infections likely linked to eating wood ear mushrooms. The mushrooms linked to the outbreak were imported by Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc. of Santa Fe Springs, California. Wood ear mushrooms are a dried mushroom, often labelled or referred to as Kikurage, Dried Black Fungus, Dried Fungus, or Mu’er/Mu Er/Mu-Err.
Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc. Announces Mushroom Recall
On September 23, 2020, Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc. issued a recall for all Shirakiku brand imported Dried Fungus (also known as Black Fungus or Kikurage) because the product may be contaminated with the foodborne pathogen Salmonella. The mushrooms are labeled as Shirakiku brand Black Fungus (Kikurage) with UPC Code 00074410604305, and Item Number 60403, and were imported from China. The product was distributed in six packs of five-pound bags to restaurants in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington DC, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and British Columbia in Canada.
Restaurants are cautioned to not sell or serve the recalled mushrooms, and consumers should not eat the recalled mushrooms.
Salmonella Mushroom Outbreak Investigation
According to the CDC, as of Sept. 24, 2020, a total of 41 people have been infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Stanley across 10 states as follows: AZ (1), CA (25), CT (1), GA (1), IL (5), LA (1), NJ (2), NY (1), PA (2), WI (2). Illness onset dates ranged from January 21, 2020 to August 26, 2020. Those sickened in the outbreak range in age from 2 to 74 years. Of 32 ill people with information available, 4 hospitalizations have been reported. No deaths have been reported.
Interviews with ill people and traceback information suggest that dried wood ear mushrooms distributed by Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc. are the likely source of this outbreak. Of 18 people with information, 16 (89%) reported eating ramen at a restaurant in the week before their illness started. Several people reported eating at the same ramen restaurants.
A Stool Culture May Confirm Salmonella Infection
If you suspect that you have contracted Salmonella or are experiencing food poisoning symptoms, contact your healthcare professional. He or she can order a stool culture to confirm Salmonella infection. Let your healthcare professional know that you ate or handled mushrooms that may have subject to the recall.
About Salmonella
Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
Contact Attorney The Weinberg Law Firm For A Free Salmonella Lawsuit Evaluation
The Weinberg Law Firm has helped victims of food poisoning outbreaks nationwide. If you or a loved one was diagnosed with Salmonella food poisoning, and you have a question regarding your legal rights you can request a free Food Poisoning Lawsuit Evaluation by calling our law firm toll free at 1-877-934-6274. Our phones are answered 24/7.
Please see Salmonella Onions and Salmonella Peaches to learn about the ongoing recalls and outbreaks linked to these products.