SACRAMENTO – Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), warned consumers not to eat Shirakiku brand dried Shiitake whole mushrooms and 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, California, after being advised by CDPH that routine surveillance tests conducted by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services identified that the products contained as much as 113 parts per million (ppm) and 43 ppm of sulfites, respectively.

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

The Shirakiku Brand Dried Shiitake Whole Mushrooms are packed in a three-ounce plastic rectangular package with gold and black border with the word SHII-TA-KE” in red lettering at the top of the clear panel. The red and white Shirakiku Brand logo is in the top border.

The whole dried mushrooms are visible through a clear panel on the front of the package.

The Shirakiku Brand Dried Shiitake Sliced Mushrooms are packed in a two-ounce clear plastic rectangular package with the red and white Shirakiku Brand logo at the top.

A white rectangular panel with black and red Japanese characters and an illustration of two mushrooms is on the front of the package. The sliced dried mushrooms are visible through the packaging.

People who have severe sensitivity to sulfites and some asthmatics may run the risk of serious or life-threatening reactions, including but not limited to anaphylactic shock if they consume these products.

Consumers in possession of these products should throw them away or return them to the place of purchase for a refund, and call CDPH’s Complaint Hotline at 1-800-495-3232 if these products are being offered for sale.