A shipment of mushrooms containing a bacteria known to make some people seriously ill has been identified and destroyed. "Several pallets" of enoki mushrooms sent to King's Lynn were found to contain listeria, which can pose serious health risks to newborn babies, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems. The mushrooms, imported through the Port of Felixstowe, Suffolk in October, had since been sent to a landfill, the Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk added.
Enoki mushrooms, sometimes labelled as Enokitake, Golden Needle or Lily Mushrooms, are tall, white, thin-stemmed mushrooms, which are commonly found in foods across Asia. The UK's Food Standards Agency says they are usually served cooked, but also eaten in salads or as a garnish, external.
"If they're cooked thoroughly it's not a concern," said Philippa Smith, the council's environmental health manager, whose team helped to identify the contaminated shipment. "The concern is if they are lightly cooked or eaten raw."
Source: bbc.com