A total of 38 supermarkets and restaurants sold banned enoki mushrooms, according to Public Health officials who noted no illnesses reported in connection to the potential listeria contamination.
The Department of Public Health and Social Services identified the 38 food establishments around the island that sold the potentially contaminated mushrooms that were manufactured in the Republic of Korea and China.
“These ‘Enoki Mushrooms’ (were) banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) originally in 2023 through Import Alert 25-21 and has not been lifted by the USFDA,” Public Health said in a press release issued Wednesday.
The food establishments where the tainted mushrooms were sold are as follows:
- 7-Day Supermarket, Harmon
- Bio Water and Ice, Harmon
- Blaze, Tumon
- Bom Market, Yigo
- California Mart, Tamuning
- Ching Dam Restaurant, Tumon
- Cho Won Korean Restaurant, Tamuning
- Crust Pizzeria Napoletana, Hagåtña
- Dave Jang Kermit Restaurant, Harmon
- Day Buy Day, Yona
- Don Don Donki, Tamuning
- Hafa Adai Market, Yigo
- Hilton Guam Resort & Spa, Tumon
- Hoshino Resorts Guam, Tamuning
- Pacific Islands Club, Tumon
- Papa Niyoc Store/Cafe, Malesso'
- Pay-Less Supermarkets
- R Daily Mart, Harmon
- Sejong Korean Restaurant
- Seoul Mart, Hagåtña and Tamuning
- Seoul-Jung Restaurant, Tumon
- SJ Market, Tamuning
- Hotel Niko Guam, Tumon
- Hyatt Regency Guam, Tumon
- Kimi Market 2, Mangilao
- New JCK Market, Yigo
- Olympia Mart, Upper Tumon
- Super Happy Mart, Barrigada
- Tsubaki Tower, Tumon
- UR Market, NCS Dededo
- Village Pantry, Dedeo
- Waka Sakura, Village of Donki, Tamuning
Public Health did not report any illness as a result of the enoki mushrooms and said the distributor has pulled the mushrooms off the shelves.
“According to the distributor, all remaining affected products have been removed from the establishments listed above and are being held at the distributor’s warehouse for destruction or return to the manufacturer,” Public Health said.
If purchased, the contaminated mushrooms should not be eaten, according to Public Health.
“The product should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase,” Public Health officials warned.
Symptoms of listeria include mild to fatal infections.
“The products are part of the import ban issued by the USFDA due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria monocytogenes infection may cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women,” Public Health officials said.
People concerned about reactions should contact their health care providers, added Public Health.
The Division of Environmental Health Consumer Commodities Program has been aware that the contaminated enoki mushrooms were being sold on Guam since May 3.
