Mushroom recall expands as another company pulls all products

Following an initial announcement earlier this month, the FDA has published a new food safety advisory warning that another large batch of a popular type of mushroom called enoki has been recalled. As with the initial recall, these latest recalled mushrooms originate from South Korea and may cause a foodborne illness caused by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.

The initial announcement surfaced on March 9; it was issued by Sun Hong Foods, a South Korean company that distributes enoki mushrooms. The recall followed an outbreak of Listeria, which the CDC said had caused three dozen illnesses and four deaths. This foodborne illness is particularly risky to pregnant women, the elderly, and anyone whose health is already compromised.

In a new advisory published by the FDA on March 23, it revealed that a second company called Guan's Mushroom Co. of California has recalled all of its 7.05oz enoki mushroom packages, which originate from South Korea. These products were sold in retail stores in Pennsylvania, California, and New York.

According to the FDA, routine testing of one of these packages of mushrooms revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, leading to the recall. No cases of this foodborne illness have been linked back to this brand's enoki mushrooms, the advisory notes.

The recalled products are sold in packaging that reads 'Enoki Mushroom' in English, Korean, and French. Users can identify it using the UPC code '859267007013,' as well as the packaging code 14-1 in the bottom right corner of the product. Anyone who has purchased these mushrooms can seek a refund or simply throw them away.