The FDA, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is investigating a Salmonella Stanley wood ear mushrooms outbreak that has sickened at least 41 people in 10 states. Wood ear mushrooms are a dried mushroom product that is also called Dried Black Fungus, Dried Fungus, Kikurage, or Mu’er/Mu Er/Mu-Err.
Wismettac Asian Foods recalled all wood ear mushrooms within shelf life on September 23, 2020. The mushrooms were distributed in six packs of five-pound bags to restaurants in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington D.C., 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 Canada.
The case count by state is: Arizona (1), California (250, Georgia (1), Illinois (5), Louisiana (1), New Jersey (2), New York, (1), Pennsylvania (2), and Wisconsin (2). The last illness onset date was August 26, 2020.
The wood ear mushrooms were sold directly to restaurants, not consumers. Anyone who is at high risk for food poisoning complications should check with their restaurant to confirm whether or not any wood ear mushrooms that have been used or are being used are not part of this recall. This also applies to any leftovers that may have been taken home by consumers.
The California Department of Public Health collected a sample of the mushrooms from one of the restaurants were an ill person dined. They found Salmonella, but officials do not yet know if the Salmonella in the mushrooms is the same that has made people sick. Testing is currently underway.
The outbreak notice also states that restaurants who used the recalled wood ear mushrooms should clean and sanitizer any surfaces that may have come into contact wit the product to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
Symptoms of a Salmonella infection include a headache, a fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal and stomach pain and cramps, and diarrhea that may be bloody or watery. Symptoms usually start 6 to 72 hours after infection, but may be delayed as long as six days.
If you have eaten ramen or dried wood ear mushrooms at any restaurant and have been ill with these symptoms, see your doctor. You may be part of this Salmonella Stanley wood ear mushrooms outbreak.
If you or a loved one have been sickened with a Salmonella Stanley infection after eating recalled Shirakiku dried wood ear mushrooms, please contact our experienced attorneys for help at 1-888-377-8900 or 612-338-0202.
