Health Canada recalls same mushrooms for second time over life-threatening bacteria

For the second time in just a few months, Health Canada has recalled the same species of mushroom for potential contamination with a life-threatening bacteria.

Anyone who has purchased a package of the Lian Teng brand of enoki mushrooms recently — labelled as “champignon énoki” — is being advised not to consume or serve the product, as it may be carrying Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause an array of uncomfortable and dangerous symptoms.

Though foods with Listeria may not seem spoiled on the surface, if eaten, they can induce fever, vomiting, muscle aches, nausea, severe headache, neck stiffness, confusion and worse in people who are immunocompromised or pregnant.

Listeria infection can be fatal and lead to serious complications during pregnancy, up to and including premature delivery and stillbirth.

This is the second time in five months that enoki mushrooms have been recalled by Health Canada — the Golden Mushroom brand was recalled for the same reason in May.

Fortunately, there haven’t been any cases linked to the mushrooms thus far, but retailers in Ontario and Quebec are being instructed not to sell or distribute the item after a positive sample was tested by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Anyone who has bought Lian Teng enokis should return or dispose of them ASAP and contact their healthcare provider if they have consumed them and are feeling ill as a result.

Symptoms of listeriosis can appear anywhere from three to 70 days after ingestion.

The news follows the recall of Golden Mushroom brand enokis for the same reason in May.

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