CITY NEWS SERVICE

Shirakiku brand 3 oz. dried shiitake mushrooms.

The California Department of Health on Friday warned consumers not to eat Shirakiku Brand Dried Shiitake Whole Mushrooms or Shirakiku Brand Dried Shiitake Sliced Mushrooms, imported from China, because they may contain high levels of sulfites not disclosed on the product label.

The voluntary recall was initiated by Nishimoto Trading Company Ltd. of Santa Fe Springs after company officials were advised by CDPH personnel that routine tests conducted by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services identified that the products contained as much as 113 parts per million of sulfites for the whole mushrooms and 43 ppm for the sliced mushrooms, the CDPH reported.

Foods containing more than 10 ppm of sulfites are required to disclose the presence of sulfites on the product label.

People with severe sensitivity to sulfites and some asthmatics risk potentially life-threatening reactions, including anaphylactic shock, if they consume the products.

Consumers who own the products should throw them away, or return them to the place of purchase for a refund. Consumers were also urged to call the CDPH complaint hotline, (800) 495-3232, if they see the products offered for sale.