The number of patients in a deadly outbreak linked to edible mushroom products continues to rise, with reactions now confirmed in more than 160 people.
On September 18, the Food and Drug Administration reported 169 patients across 33 states. Of the patients for whom complete information was available, 66 required hospitalization. Two people have died. All patients had eaten Diamond Shruumz brand chocolate bars, cones or gummies.
Testing has shown that many of the edibles contain dangerous chemicals that have caused a variety of symptoms, including breathing problems, seizures, central nervous system depression, loss of consciousness, abnormal heart rate, hyper/hypotension, nausea and vomiting.
The manufacturer has recalled all flavors and types of Diamond Shruumz. However, the FDA has found that the edibles are still available in some stores and online outlets.
Consumers may not purchase or consume Diamond Shruumz branded products. If you’ve noticed a store continuing to sell recalled Diamond Shruumz brand products, that’s possible report this information to the FDA.
Consumers are urged to check their homes for recalled products and to throw them away if they have them on hand.
Anyone who experiences side effects after consuming recalled products is urged to seek immediate medical attention, especially if they have difficulty breathing.
One of the chemicals found in the edibles is muscimol, which is particularly dangerous, but it cannot explain all the symptoms patients experienced during the outbreak.
In addition to muscimol, FDA analyzes of Diamond Shruumz brand edibles identified the presence of the following compounds:
Acetylpsilocin (also known as 4-acetoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine, 4-acetoxy-DMT, O-acetylpsilocin or psilacetin);
Psilocin, a Schedule I controlled substance;
Pregabalin, a prescription drug; Desmethoxyyangonine, dihydrokavain and kavain (kavalactones found in the kava plant).
The results in a table found here show different compounds in different flavors of chocolate bars and cones. Even for the same flavor of a chocolate bar or cone, there can be variations in the compounds present.
Although these compounds have known effects individually when taken, less research exists on their interactions when taken together. Medical officials from the FDA and CDC interpret these test results to understand the health risks of consuming these chemicals and determine appropriate next steps.
Additional testing is being conducted for the Diamond Shruumz brand chocolate bars listed in the table, and the product table will be updated as sample results, including gummy results, become available.
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