Why Are Enoki Mushrooms Always Getting Recalled—and Are They Safe to Eat?

Here’s what to know.

Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD

If you follow EatingWell for our food and health news updates, you may have noticed a trend in our recall coverage. Fruit and veggie recalls aren’t the most rare, but this specific produce item has been in the headlines several times over the last year, which is a bit unusual.

Enoki mushrooms are long, thin white mushrooms widely used in East Asian cuisine. Often sold in bundles, these specific mushrooms have been serial recall victims.

It all started in 2022 when the Food and Drug Administration issued an alert on a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to enoki mushrooms. Since then, multiple recalls have been reported internationally regarding these mushrooms.

Related: Over 400,000 Starbucks Mugs Recalled Due to Burn and Laceration Risk

We started covering the enoki mushroom recalls in October 2023 with a U.S. recall that spanned six states. The Qilu Enterprises-branded mushrooms impacted were part of that Listeria contamination recall.

Listeria infection, aka listeriosis, is a foodborne illness that can be especially serious for those age 65 or older, pregnant or immunocompromised. According to the FDA, common symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms after eating enoki mushrooms, contact your health care provider immediately.

A couple of months later, it became clear that Qilu wasn’t the only brand of enoki mushrooms affected—and the U.S. wasn’t the only country impacted. In December 2023, the brand Good recalled Enoki mushrooms in Canada, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. This was also due to a Listeria contamination after the fungi tested positive for the bacteria.

And just last week, Canada experienced another enoki mushroom recall affecting the brand K-Fresh—again for Listeria risk.

Are Enoki Mushrooms Safe to Eat?

The FDA is still working to better understand why enoki mushrooms are so prone to carrying this specific foodborne pathogen. Both the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have listed a few points on how to significantly reduce your risk of Listeria infection when handling enoki mushrooms:

• Avoid eating enoki mushrooms raw and cook them thoroughly before consumption.

• Store your raw enoki mushrooms apart from foods that won’t be cooked.

• After touching raw enoki mushrooms, wash your hands and any surfaces or items that have touched the produce. The Department of Agriculture’s guide for cleaning and sanitizing surfaces is a great reference.

Related: How to Tell If Mushrooms Are Bad

Overall, enoki mushrooms are safe to eat unless they have been recalled. But if you’re someone who may experience more serious symptoms from Listeria, following these handling procedures is especially important.

The Bottom Line

It’s hard to say why enoki mushrooms have been recalled so many times due to Listeria contamination, but with proper cleaning and handling of the produce, they are safe to eat. Because they seem to be prone to contamination, it’s important to wash your produce and your hands before eating your fresh groceries. Check out our mushroom cleaning guide for more information on how to efficiently clean and store your mushrooms.

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Read the original article on Eating Well.