The wholesale club, BJ's has voluntarily recalled several types of pre-packaged Wellsley Farms brand mushrooms. Routine testing resulted in the possibility of a trace of E. Coli contamination in one of the lot codes of these mushrooms.
The New York State Department of Health identified the listeria bacteria in two types of mushrooms made by Monterey Mushrooms of Watsonville. Random testing revealed the bacteria in these mushrooms.
With both brands of mushrooms and their respective possible contaminations (that is, E. coli and listeria), recalls from store shelves are being made until confirmation and resolution.
The voluntary recall at BJ's is specifically being made on the following pre-packaged Wellsley Farms brand mushrooms: Sliced Mushrooms (20 oz., SKU 016377); Fresh White Mushrooms (24 oz., SKU 016375; Fresh Portabella Caps (16 oz., SKU 016573); and Fresh Baby Bella Caps (10 oz., SKU 016572).
The NY State Health Department is recalling about 10 thousand cases of the Monterey Mushrooms brand Fresh Sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms and Fresh Sliced White Mushrooms with the code dates of 237 through 247.
The NY State Health Department also advises consumers that the listeria bacteria cannot be removed by washing the mushrooms.
No illnesses have been reported yet from either of these potentially dangerous foodborne contaminations.
There have been a lot of foodborne illnesses recently in U.S. food products. The possible contaminations have varied and the possible health risks are potentially very dangerous.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is responsible for 20 percent of food in the U.S., whereas the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is responsible for the other 80 percent. However, there is no mandatory recall for foods. All food producers are responsible for voluntary recalls. Most companies are willing to do so.
In response to so many recent illnesses occurring from foodborne contaminations, the Environmental Protection Agency is currently considering a new "Safe Food Act," according to CNN.
