The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked black fungus to a salmonella outbreak that has sickened dozens of people in 10 states.
The edible fungus, known as wood ear mushrooms, has reportedly sickened at least 41 patients, according to the CDC outbreak announcement Friday. Many of them reported eating wood ear mushrooms in restaurants before becoming ill, according to the Food and Drug Administration. At least four people have required hospitalization.
Wismettac Asian Foods Inc., a California-based company, recalled the mushrooms, according to the Food Safety Network. The company had distributed the implicated fungus to restaurants in 32 states and Canada. Federal officials in the United States and Canada, as well as state officials, are investigating to discover the source of the contamination of the Chinese mushrooms.
Credit: Via Fda.org
Credit: Via Fda.org
California health officials found the salmonella in samples of the edible fungus, spurring the company to initiate the recall.
“Wood ear mushrooms imported by Wismettac Asian Foods Inc. were only sold to restaurants and were not available directly to consumers. Although these items have been recalled, concerned or high-risk individuals should check with their restaurant to confirm that any wood ear mushrooms that have been used or are being used are not part of this recall,” the FDA advised in an update earlier this week.
Groups of ill people were identified by several restaurants. Many of them reported eating wood ear mushrooms or ramen containing wood ear mushrooms in the week before their illnesses started.
“FDA and states are conducting a traceback investigation to identify the source of the wood ear mushrooms eaten by ill people. A review of records collected to date identified that Wismettac Asian Foods Inc., supplied wood ear mushrooms (dried fungus) to the illness cluster restaurants,” according to the CDC’s outbreak announcement posted Friday.
“The California Department of Public Health collected dried fungus at one of the restaurants linked to an illness cluster for testing. Testing identified Salmonella in a sample of dried fungus distributed by Wismettac Asian Foods Inc. (Whole genome sequencing) analysis is being done to determine if the Salmonella identified in the dried fungus is the same as the Salmonella from ill people.”
A wide range is listed among outbreak patients, with their illnesses having begun between Jan. 21 through Aug. 26, according to the CDC.
Ill people range in age from 2 to 74 years old. Of 32 ill people with information available, four hospitalizations have been reported. No deaths have been reported.
Illnesses might not yet be reported due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of two to four weeks.
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