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• Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies (i.e., the reproductive organs) of a wide variety of fungus species. Many kinds of mushroom are used for food in cuisines worldwide.

  Phillips Mushroom Farm of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, issued a recall for Enoki mushrooms on February 1, 2009 because they may be contaminated with the bacteria listeria, which can be fatal. The mushrooms were sold under several brand names between January 13 to January 30, 2009.Fox News: Mushrooms Recalled Due to Possible Listeria Contamination (February 2, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Fleshy, spore-laden fungi
  2. Mushrooms are produced by the organism mycelium
  3. Mushrooms does not grow for very longAmerican Mushrooms; What is a mushroom?
  4. The mycelium that produces them, however, can live for many yearsAmerican Mushrooms; What is a mushroom?
  5. Some wild species are extremely poisonous
  6. Research suggests mushrooms may have anti-cancer propertiesCity of Hope: Researchers Study Mushrooms' Cancer-Fighting Potential (June 16, 2008)
  7. Sources agree that they are an excellent source of vitamin B
  8. 80 to 90 percent waterThe Age: "Wild About Mushrooms" (2007)
  9. Some mushrooms, commonly referred to as "magic mushrooms", have psychedelic properties

• Recall

  The recall for mushrooms concerns mushrooms packaged in 3.5-ounce, 4-ounce and 1-pound packages. They are:Fox News: Mushrooms Recalled Due to Possible Listeria Contamination (February 2, 2009)

  1. Packed in clear plastic bags with panels that were blue, green or redFox News: Mushrooms Recalled Due to Possible Listeria Contamination (February 2, 2009)
  2. Packed in tillsFox News: Mushrooms Recalled Due to Possible Listeria Contamination (February 2, 2009)
  3. Packed in one pound bags for food serviceFox News: Mushrooms Recalled Due to Possible Listeria Contamination (February 2, 2009)

  Those who have purchased the affected Enoki mushrooms should discard them or bring them back to any store for a full refund. For more information, contact Phillips Customer Service at 1-800-722-8818, or visit FDA's Web site at http://www.fda.gov.

• Ordinary white mushrooms

  The typical white mushroom of American cuisine is Agaricus bisporus, a species that also includes the brown crimini mushroom and the large, parasol-shaped portobello mushroom. It is often eaten raw, especially in salads, and is often cooked as an accompaniment to beef or on pizza.

• Other edible varieties

  The number of different mushrooms commonly eaten in North America has become much smaller with the advent of agribusiness and the grocery-store economy. Wild-collected varieties that used to be widely enjoyed include the morel, the chanterelle, the blewit, the ink cap, the maitake and the sulfur shelf. Many of these are now expensive luxury items. Truffles are also, by definition, mushrooms.

• Culinary use

  Different kinds of mushroom have widely different textures and flavors, but a near-constant appeal is umami, a basic taste like 'sweet' and 'salty' which is perceived by the human palate as 'savory.' Mushrooms are a wide and common source of meatless umami, in cuisines worldwide.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Morel Mushrooms | Pizza | Steak | Chicken | Sausage | Tomatoes | Onions | Pasta | Chinese Food | Japanese Food | Italian Food | Beef Stroganoff

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