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Raw morel mushrooms found to be most likely cause behind deadly outbreak
Food Safety News ^ | By Coral Beach on July 19, 2023

Posted on 07/25/2023 5:51:53 AM PDT by Red Badger

Morel mushrooms

Public health officials have signed off on an outbreak investigation in Montana saying that morel mushrooms were most likely what made dozens of people sick and killed two.

In addition to the two deaths, the outbreak traced to Dave’s Sushi in Bozeman, MT, sickened more than 50 people and sent three to hospitals. People became ill between March 28 and April 17 this year, according to the Gallatin City-County Health Department. The local department worked with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on the outbreak investigation.

“Study results indicated that consuming morel mushrooms at the restaurant was strongly associated with developing GI illness. Additionally, individuals who reported consuming a greater quantity of sushi containing morels were more likely to develop illness compared to those who reported consuming fewer pieces,” according to the local health department’s final report, which was released July 19.

“. . . According to documents provided by the restaurant, the morel mushrooms served during March and April 2023 were prepared raw or only lightly cooked, depending on the date of preparation.”

The sick people in the outbreak ranged from 18 to 74 years old. Most became ill within three hours of their meal at Dave’s Sushi. The most common symptoms reported were diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

Public health officials interviewed 63 people who ate at the restaurant during the implicated time frame. Of those, 41 reported becoming ill after their meal there.

The interviews also showed that the majority of people who became ill ate the mushrooms and the illnesses were “strongly associated” with the mushrooms.

Health officials performed DNA sequencing on the morel mushroom samples collected from the restaurant, and identified the species as Morchella sextelata, a type of “true morel.” Samples of morel mushrooms collected after the illnesses occurred were also screened for pesticides, heavy metals, bacterial toxins, and pathogens. No significant findings were identified, according to the health department’s report.

“The toxins in morel mushrooms that may cause illness are not fully understood. However, it is known that using proper morel mushroom preparation techniques, including cooking, can help reduce toxicity and risk of illness,” according to the health department.

Owners of Dave’s Sushi told health department officials that morels served on April 8 underwent some light cooking by being marinated in a sauce immediately after the sauce had been boiled. Morels served on April 17 were not cooked. The majority of patients reported becoming ill after eating mushrooms at the restaurant on April 17.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration conducted a traceback investigation and found that restaurants in other states received morel mushrooms from the same supplier during the same timeframe as Dave’s Sushi. An investigation into six of those restaurants found that all six throughly cooked the morels they served. None of those restaurants received any reports of illnesses.

The local public health officials reported the investigation into the outbreak was limited in at least two ways. First, the investigators could not determine what specific characteristic of the morel mushrooms caused the outbreak. Second, the specific toxin or pathogen in the morel mushrooms served at the restaurant is unknown and could not be confirmed through laboratory testing.

“However, the signs and symptoms of illness reported were consistent with what could result from eating morel mushrooms that were not properly handled, prepared, or cooked.

“There are scientific gaps in knowledge regarding morel mushrooms in the wider public health, medical toxicology, and mycology realms that need further research in order to better understand how morel mushrooms affect human health,” the health department report said.

The FDA’s investigation has ended and but state and local public health officials are continuing to conduct follow-up activities related to this incident, however, there does not appear to be any further risk to the public, according to a statement from the FDA.

Advice

Anyone eating, selling, or serving morel mushrooms should use caution when doing so. There are varieties of poisonous wild mushrooms that look very similar to morel mushrooms.

Public health officials recommend those preparing morels should confirm the identity of each mushroom, and consult with a knowledgeable expert, as poisonous species have been known to grow near edible species in the wild. Choose mushrooms that are dry and firm, and avoid those that are bruised, discolored, slimy, or otherwise spoiled.

Morel mushrooms should be refrigerated at a temperature of 40 degrees F or below, in breathable type packaging, such as a paper bag. Morels should be cooked thoroughly prior to consumption, as this is likely to reduce toxin levels present in the mushrooms.

Individuals who become ill after consuming morels should contact their healthcare provider immediately and/or call the Poison Control Hotline at 800-222-1222.


TOPICS: Agriculture; Food; Gardening; Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: food; fungus; montana; morel; morelmushrooms; morels; mushrooms; sushi
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To: Red Badger

“Eat here and get The Trots!”


21 posted on 07/25/2023 6:29:22 AM PDT by Carriage Hill (A society grows great when old men plant trees, in whose shade they know they will never sit.)
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To: Yo-Yo

Rules of the Thumb (CWIDT, yo-yo?)

If the head is connected to the stem...it is safe.
If the head is separate from the stem, it is poisonous.


22 posted on 07/25/2023 6:30:04 AM PDT by Cletus.D.Yokel (Cracker...)
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To: Iowa Granny; Ladysmith; Diana in Wisconsin; JLO; sergeantdave; damncat; phantomworker; joesnuffy; ..
Outdoors/Rural/wildlife/hunting/hiking/backpacking/National Parks/animals list please FR mail me to be on or off . And ping me is you see articles of interest.
23 posted on 07/25/2023 6:30:16 AM PDT by SJackson (All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism)
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To: Red Badger

That morel-ess is what happened.


24 posted on 07/25/2023 6:34:27 AM PDT by Bob434
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To: Red Badger; All

“’There are scientific gaps in knowledge regarding morel mushrooms in the wider public health, medical toxicology, and mycology realms that need further research in order to better understand how morel mushrooms affect human health,’ the health department report said.”

Do these people not have google? LOL! This literally took me SECONDS to find. The science is settled! *SMIRK*

https://www.thegreatmorel.com/2021/05/01/the-science-of-morel-mushrooms/

They’ve been a food source since for-ever. Now that 2 people died from eating bad ones, we should all be off them?

How about that ham sandwich that Mama Cass Elliot choked on? Shall we ban ham sandwiches, too? If so, Laz will be deeply saddened, LOL!


25 posted on 07/25/2023 6:35:03 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Bob434

🤦‍♀️🤦‍♂️👍😁..........................


26 posted on 07/25/2023 6:35:06 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Red Badger

[[Don’t eat the fungus from the cowpies..............]]

Party pooper! “Get yer fresh cow poop mushrooms- get em while they last”


27 posted on 07/25/2023 6:35:45 AM PDT by Bob434
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Sounds like a Morel dilemma....................


28 posted on 07/25/2023 6:36:16 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Leep

[[Shut down Montana! lock everyone down.]]

LOL! that got me laughing 😃


29 posted on 07/25/2023 6:36:19 AM PDT by Bob434
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To: Yo-Yo

[[Morel hunting is a popular past time here in Michigan.]]

Yeah, but ya gotta use a big gun, an AR 15, which can blow the head off a cow with one shot according to the left.


30 posted on 07/25/2023 6:38:12 AM PDT by Bob434
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To: Red Badger
Health officials performed DNA sequencing on the morel mushroom samples collected from the restaurant, and identified the species as Morchella sextelata, a type of “true morel.” Samples of morel mushrooms collected after the illnesses occurred were also screened for pesticides, heavy metals, bacterial toxins, and pathogens. No significant findings were identified, according to the health department’s report.

But let's blame the mushrooms anyway. Too hard to look for what the cause actually was.

31 posted on 07/25/2023 6:50:25 AM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (Follow the money. Even if it leads you to someplace horrible it will still lead you to the truth.)
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To: Red Badger

I live down the street from Dave’s. Eaten there quite a bit. My experience was always fine. Wont be going back though!


32 posted on 07/25/2023 6:56:00 AM PDT by Levy78 (Reject modernity, embrace tradition. )
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To: Yo-Yo
Morel hunting is a popular past time here in Michigan.

I grew up in northern MI and every spring, my grandfather would keep us supplied with fresh morels.....

Boyne City has a mushroom festival every year on the weekend following mother's day.

33 posted on 07/25/2023 6:57:58 AM PDT by Hot Tabasco
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To: Cletus.D.Yokel
If the head is connected to the stem...it is safe. If the head is separate from the stem, it is poisonous.

I think that's correct, but I won't stake my life on it.

https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/2018/05/17/rue-or-false-morel-how-to-tell-the-difference/44418007/

Before picking morel mushrooms, folks should be aware of what are commonly referred to as true and false morels. Consuming false morels can be dangerous. For example, Gyromitra esculenta, known as the beefsteak morel, has been responsible for many deaths in Europe and several poisonings in the U.S., according to nonprofit organization Midwest American Mycological Information.

Chris Wright, executive director of the organization, said there are a couple of simple ways to tell the difference between true and false morels. True morels are hollow with no materials inside. However, false morels will have a substance that looks similar to cotton, he said. Other than on half-free varieties — on which the cap attaches about halfway down the stem — an edible morel’s stem is attached to the bottom of the cap. With false morels, Wright noted that the stem joins at the top of the cap, with the top folding over like a skirt on top of the stem.

34 posted on 07/25/2023 7:00:18 AM PDT by Yo-Yo (Is the /Sarc tag really necessary? Pray for President Biden: Psalm 109:8)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

From what I saw in the posted story (written by “Coral Beach”, right), nobody even knows what the illness was, let alone the cause. Some investigation. Did they learn how from the Secret Service?


35 posted on 07/25/2023 7:02:54 AM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
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To: Levy78

Dave will probably go out of business.

We had a local Japanese restaurant get punked and they had to close because of it.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/retail/florida-nikko-japanese-steakhouse-closes-reports-drugs-customers-food


36 posted on 07/25/2023 7:07:41 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Red Badger
Morels? I've been eating morel mushrooms my entire life. Never once got sick. But then of course they were wild morel mushrooms.

37 posted on 07/25/2023 7:10:12 AM PDT by Tommy Revolts
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To: Red Badger

This advice is an infuriating straw man:

“Advice

Anyone eating, selling, or serving morel mushrooms should use caution when doing so. There are varieties of poisonous wild mushrooms that look very similar to morel mushrooms.

Public health officials recommend those preparing morels should confirm the identity of each mushroom, and consult with a knowledgeable expert, as poisonous species have been known to grow near edible species in the wild.”

The reason it’s infuriating is because earlier in the article the subject mushrooms were confirmed to be a type of true morels, making all this advice completely irrelevant.

If someone dies in a plane crash, don’t use the story to give advice about how to safely ride motorcycles.


38 posted on 07/25/2023 7:11:45 AM PDT by coloradan (They're not the mainstream media, they're the gaslight media. It's what they do. )
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To: CFW

I grew up eating Morels every spring, as did a lot of people in these parts. Mom always scrambled them with eggs.

Never heard of anyone getting sick from them, even after eating a few raw while out in the woods looking for them.

I’m thinking this was a case of unwashed hands on the person who picked the mushrooms and sold them to the restaurant, or maybe some contamination of the container in which they were transported or stored, and not the mushrooms themselves.


39 posted on 07/25/2023 7:14:45 AM PDT by NorthWoody (Half of all people are below average, and half of those are in the bottom 25%.)
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To: Red Badger

This article doesn’t tell you jack. Only something made people sick and they think (haha) it could have been morels. Maybe it was the chairs they sat on made them sick? Conjecture and BS.


40 posted on 07/25/2023 7:20:23 AM PDT by WKUHilltopper
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