The Department of Public Health and Social Services is warning the public not to eat products labeled as “Enoki Mushrooms” manufactured from the Republic of Korea and China because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Food establishments are also being warned not to sell the products.

Health officials said Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which may cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the product in 2023.

On May 3, the DPHSS Division of Environmental Health’s Consumer Commodities Program received a report that “Enoki Mushrooms” manufactured by Mushroom Korea Corporation were being sold in Guam.

Officials discovered it was distributed and sold by Carson Guam Corporation to several food establishments in Guam, adding corrective actions were immediately taken by the distributor to remove the affected products from shelves for return to the manufacturer.

The DEH continues to conduct its investigation.

Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, if infected with the pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes infection may cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women even if they only experience mild symptoms. People infected with Listeria monocytogenes may start to see symptoms in a few hours, or as long as two to three days, after eating contaminated food. More severe forms of listeriosis, the illness caused by the organism, may take anywhere from three days to three months to develop.

To date, the DPHSS has not received any local reports of injuries or illnesses associated with the consumption of these potentially affected products.

Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact their healthcare provider.