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Mushrooms cause of 10-state Salmonella outbreak, CDC says

Mushrooms used at ramen restaurants are the root of a 10-state Salmonella outbreak, according to health officials.

So far, 41 people have been sickened and four were hospitalized because of the tainted mushrooms in states including Georgia, California and Pennsylvania, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In response, health officials recalled 5-pound bags of dried wood ear mushrooms distributed only to restaurants by Wismettac Asian Foods. Wood ear mushrooms are also called kikurge, dried black fungus and dried fungus.

The mushrooms were sold only to restaurants in states including Georgia, Florida, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

Four clusters of the illness were reported at restaurants in three states serving ramen. At least eight infected people reported eating ramen that contained earworm mushrooms before they were sick.

People sickened with Salmonella can develop diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps as little as six hours or up to six days after being exposed to the bacteria. Those infected typically recover within several days. However, some cases can be fatal.