Call to stop consuming fresh mushrooms suspected to contain toxins

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 28) called on the public to stop consuming certain kinds of fresh mushrooms on sale at some retail outlets as the concerned food is suspected of being adulterated with mushrooms with toxins.

A CFS spokesman said, "The CFS received notifications from the Centre for Health Protection yesterday and today about three food poisoning cases involving six persons, that were suspected to have been caused by consuming fresh mushrooms. Staff of the CFS were immediately sent to conduct investigations at the concerned shop and six samples of fresh mushrooms were collected for testing."

The six samples were fresh Matsutake, fresh Catathelasma ventricosum, fresh Pseudohydum gelatinosum, fresh Termitomyces albuminosus, fresh Red Porcini and fresh Yellow Porcini.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the fresh mushrooms in question were imported by the Luen Kee Hoo Co, Ltd and available on sale at six retail outlets between July 21 and 27. Sale staff would pack fresh mushrooms according to the types and amount ordered by customers in transparent plastic bags which carried no information of the company. The six retail outlets are:

Sogo Department Store (Causeway Bay)
Apita (Tai Koo)
City'super (Causeway Bay)
City'super (Tsim Sha Tsui)
City'super (Central)
City'super (Sha Tin)

The spokesman appealed to members of the public who had purchased the said fresh mushrooms in the aforesaid period from the above retail outlets not to consume them. They should either dispose of or return the remaining fresh mushrooms to the supplier. If symptoms develop after consuming the food, they should seek medical advice as soon as possible.

"The concerned supplier has surrendered the food at the Sogo Department Store retail outlet to the CFS for disposal and will dispose of the remaining stocks in other sales outlets.

"The company indicated to the CFS that product recall is underway. For enquiries about the recall, members of the public may call the company (tel: 2548 7670) during office hours," the spokesman said.

Mushroom poisonings are generally acute and manifested by a variety of symptoms, depending on the species and amount consumed. The incubation period is usually short. Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain are the commonest symptoms. Sometimes distinguishing features such as extreme thirst, profuse sweating, hallucination, coma and other neurological symptoms may occur.

The CFS will continue to follow up the case.

Furthermore, consumers are advised to heed the following points when buying and eating fresh mushrooms:

* Do not buy mushroom products which are doubted to have carried mixing of unknown species;
* Do not buy mushrooms which look unhygienic (with growing substrates left with the product) or show signs of spoilage (with coloured spots/abnormal smell/slime, etc);
* Wash and cook mushrooms thoroughly before consumption; and
* Seek medical treatment immediately if mushroom poisoning is suspected.

Ends/Thursday, July 28, 2011
Issued at HKT 21:42