The Maryland Department of Health is making consumers aware of a potential contamination within enoki mushrooms.
Samples collected and tested by the MDH in early January were positive for the Listeria bacteria.
Listeriosis is a life-threatening invasive infection caused by eating foods contaminated by listeria. The disease primarily affects pregnant individuals and their newborns, older adults, and people with immune systems weakened by cancer, cancer treatments, or other serious conditions.
A person with listeriosis generally has a 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. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics.
If you have purchased one or more of the product, the MDH is advising you to throw them away. If you consumed one or more of the product, watch for symptoms such as stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, or fever. If symptoms occur, contact your healthcare provider.
In addition, MDH and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the following 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.
