Urgent health warning to pregnant women over common vegetable | The Sun

PREGNANT women are being warned to thoroughly cook a type of mushroom over fears of bacteria.

The Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have said some Enoki Mushrooms have traces of listeria with the risk of severe disease.

Pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems should make sure they thoroughly cook the mushrooms.

Enoki mushrooms are sometimes labelled as Enokitake, Golden Needle or Lily Mushrooms and are tall, white, thin-stemmed mushrooms commonly used across Asia.

They are usually served cold however are sometimes served raw in salads or as a garnish.

The FSS and FSA are also advising older people to be aware of the risks as the risk of serious illness from listeria increases with age.

The presence of listeria monocytogenes in the mushrooms was flagged to the FSA after food safety alerts in the USA and Canada in 2021.

There have been no known cases of listeriosis linked to the mushrooms in the UK.

But recent analysis and testing by the FSA and local authority partners found its presence in 13 out of 40 Enoki mushrooms tested and sometimes at high levels.

Listeria continues to be detected when the product comes into the UK.

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The FSS and the FSA are withing with local authorities and Port Health authorities to advise food business and importers of the risks from the mushrooms.

And reminding them of the food safety and labelling requirements as labelling of the mushrooms is not always clear or consistent.

If you have eaten the product recently you don't have to do anything except if you begin to feel symptoms of the infection.

Symptoms include a high temperature of 38C above, aches and pains, chills, feeling or being sick or diarrhoea.

You should contact NHS 111 or your GP surgery if you think you may have the infection.

Stuart McAdam, Head on Incidents at Food Standards Scotland (FSS) SAID: "Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) advice is that Enoki mushrooms can be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and should be stored in the fridge and handled carefully.

"You should properly clean any surfaces and utensils you've used to prepare them and wash hands.

"Those who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems should cook Enoki mushrooms thoroughly before eating them as this will destroy any Listeria monocytogenes present, which can cause serious illness in vulnerable customers."

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