Category Archives: Food Microbiology Research

FDA

December 17, 2022

Audience

• Restaurants and food retailers that have received Sun Hong Foods Inc. enoki mushrooms sourced from China.
• Consumers, especially those who are or could become pregnant, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems, who have recently consumed enoki mushrooms labeled as Sun Hong Food, Inc. product sourced from China.

Product

• Product is labeled as Sun Hong Foods Inc, (Montebello, CA) enoki mushrooms sourced from China.

Purpose

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers not to eat, restaurants and food retailers not to sell, and to dispose of product labeled as Sun Hong Foods Inc. enoki mushrooms sourced from China due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

Summary of Problem and Scope

• On November 28, 2022, Missouri state partners, as a part of the FDA-funded Laboratory Flexible Funding Model Cooperative Agreement Program collected enoki mushroom samples from retail markets in Missouri. One sample labeled as Sun Hong Foods Inc, (Montebello, CA) and sourced from China tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, but does not appear to match any clinical isolates from active outbreaks.

FDA Actions

• The FDA is issuing this alert advising consumers to not eat and restaurants and food retailers to not sell Sun Hong Foods Inc. enoki mushrooms sourced from China due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. FDA is also advising consumers, restaurants and food retailers to dispose of Sun Hong Foods Inc. enoki mushrooms sourced from China.
• The FDA is awaiting information on further interstate distribution of the enoki mushrooms and will continue to monitor the investigation and provide assistance to state authorities as needed.

Symptoms of Listeriosis

There are a range of symptoms for listeriosis. Depending on the severity of the illness, symptoms may last from days to several weeks. Mild symptoms may include a fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. If the more severe form of listeriosis develops, symptoms may include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. For the very young, the elderly, and the immune-compromised listeriosis can result in death.

People infected with L. monocytogenes may start to see symptoms in a few hours or as long as two to three days after eating contaminated food. More severe forms of listeriosis may take anywhere from three days to three months to develop.

Listeriosis can be particularly dangerous for pregnant women and their newborn babies, leading to serious complications with their pregnancy, including miscarriage and stillbirth. Babies born with a listeriosis infection may develop severe health complications that require immediate medical attention, lead to lifelong health problems, or result in death. Women who suspect they have symptoms of listeriosis (muscles aches, nausea, stiffness in neck, headaches, etc.) should seek medical care immediately and tell their health provider what they ate. Learn more about People at Risk of Foodborne Illness.

Due to the range in severity of illness, people should consult their health care provider if they suspect that they have developed symptoms that resemble a(n) L. monocytogenes infection.

Additional Information 

• Listeria
• FDA Strategy to Help Prevention Listeriosis and Salmonella Outbreaks Associated with Imported Enoki and Imported Wood ear Mushrooms