Highest risk U.S. Food and Drug Administration

H&C Food Enoki mushrooms recall: Potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes

Recall published 6+ years ago

Potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes

H&C Food Other food products — recalled other food productsH&C Food Other food products — recalled other food products (photo 2)
2 photos published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the recall notice.

The hazard: Listeria contamination

Listeria is the reason this product was pulled, and it is the one food hazard where "it is still in date and it smells fine" tells you nothing at all.

What the notice says: H&C Food Inc. of Brooklyn, NY is recalling 7.05OZ (200G) Enoki mushrooms imported from Green Co. located in Korea, because it has the potential to be contaminated 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.

Why it matters: Listeria monocytogenes is unusual among foodborne bacteria because it keeps growing at refrigerator temperature. A contaminated pack does not become safer for sitting in the cold, and it will look, smell and taste completely normal.

Symptoms and when to call a doctor

Listeriosis is mild or silent in most healthy adults, but it is serious for pregnant people, newborns, adults over 65 and anyone whose immune system is suppressed. The CDC describes intestinal illness as diarrhoea and vomiting, and invasive illness as fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance or convulsions. In pregnancy it can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or infection in the newborn even when the parent feels only mildly unwell. Symptoms can start within a day or not appear for weeks, so tell any doctor you see that you ate a recalled product and give them the date.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you feel unwell, a clinician who can see you is the only person able to judge your case.

Recall details

Published
April 7, 2020
Risk level
Highest risk
Issued by
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brand
H&C Food
Product type
Other food products
Distribution
Maryland, New York, Virginia
UPC codes
831211204181
Reports of harm
No illnesses related to products distributed by H&C foods have been reported, to date.

Products covered by this recall

Enoki mushrooms

What the company announced

H&C Food Inc. of Brooklyn, NY is recalling 7.05OZ (200G) Enoki mushrooms imported from Green Co. located in Korea, because it has the potential to be contaminated 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 infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The recalled 7.05OZ (200G) Enoki mushrooms was distributed to NY, MD and VA areas through Great Wall Supermarket between February 15th, 2020 to March 5th, 2020.

Enoki mushrooms were sold to Great Wall Supermarket in 7.05 oz / 200 g clear plastic packaging with a green label, UPC#831211204181, 25 packs/ net weight 5kg per carton. “H&C Food Inc.” company name can be found on the back of the clear plastic packaging.

No illnesses related to products distributed by H&C foods have been reported, to date.

The recall was the result of FDA evidence of potential contamination of Enoki Mushrooms from Green Co. Ltd. H&C Food Inc. has ceased the distribution of the product as FDA and the company continue their investigation as to what caused the problem.

Consumers who have purchased 7.05OZ (200G) Enoki mushrooms imported from Green Co. located in Korea are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact H&C Food Inc. at 718-821-5188 ext.112 (Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm EST).

Outbreak Advisory

Reproduced from the company announcement posted on fda.gov. Links and contact forms in the original are not repeated here; the official notice below has them.

Check your product

The notice names 4 codes you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

UPC / barcode

Read the twelve digits under the barcode on the package.

  • 831211204181

Package size

Match the net weight or the piece count on the front of the pack.

  • 7.05 OZ
  • 25 packs
  • 5 kg

Codes are lifted verbatim from the FDA — Company recall announcements notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about Listeria

H&C Food — Listeria is the reason this product was pulled, and it is the one food hazard where "it is still in date and it smells fine" tells you nothing at all.

  1. Do not eat it and do not open a sealed pack to inspect it — opening it only spreads the bacteria around your kitchen.
  2. If anyone in the household is pregnant, over 65 or immunocompromised, call a clinician for advice even if nobody feels ill. That conversation is quick and it is the whole point of a Listeria recall.
  3. Photograph the label, the lot code and the date mark before the pack leaves the house — that picture is what a refund claim runs on.
  4. Throw it out in a sealed bag, or return it to the store. Either is accepted; what matters is that nobody else eats it.

How to get your money back

Food recalls carry a full refund, and in the United States you usually do not need the receipt or the packaging.

  • Take the product, or your photo of the label, to the customer service desk of the store where you bought it. Nearly every national grocer refunds recalled food on the spot.
  • Bought it online? Open the order in your account and use the refund option; marketplace sellers are required to honour a federal recall.
  • If the store refuses, contact the recalling company using the details on this page. The firm, not the shop, carries the cost of a recall.
  • If you have a loyalty card, the retailer can look the purchase up in your history — Kroger, Costco and Walmart all do this routinely.

Remedy named in the notice: Consumers who have purchased 7.05OZ (200G) Enoki mushrooms imported from Green Co. located in Korea are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Company contact: H&C Food Inc. — Consumers: H&C Food Inc., 718-821-5188 ext.112 — Media: Sam Yu, 718-821-5188 ext.148

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency notice is the authoritative version — read it before you act, and treat it as the final word if anything here looks different.

Open the FDA — Company recall announcements record U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was H&C Food other food products recalled?

Potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes H&C Food Inc. of Brooklyn, NY is recalling 7.05OZ (200G) Enoki mushrooms imported from Green Co. located in Korea, because it has the potential to be contaminated 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.

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

Match the codes printed on your package against the notice: UPC 831211204181. If the code on your package is not on that list, your unit is outside the recall.

What should I do with it right now?

Do not eat it and do not open a sealed pack to inspect it — opening it only spreads the bacteria around your kitchen.

Can I get my money back?

The notice says: Consumers who have purchased 7.05OZ (200G) Enoki mushrooms imported from Green Co. located in Korea are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Which states were affected?

The notice lists Maryland, New York, Virginia.

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