VANCOUVER -- Two separate recall notices have been issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency: one for Manila clams and another for a brand of wood ear mushrooms.
In an alert applying to B.C., Alberta and Ontario that could be expanded country-wide, the CFIA says the clams may have a marine biotoxin that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning.
The recalled product may have been sold under the Evergreen Int'l Foodstuffs Ltd. brand in a 25-lb. package. They were harvested in B.C. on Sept. 16 and processed the next day, but the agency says the clams may have been sold in bulk or smaller packages with or without a label, and may not have that same brand, product name or code.
Anyone with the recalled clams at home should throw them away or return them to the store where they were purchased, the CFIA says. If you don't know the source of the clams, the agency suggests contacting the place you bought them.
Paralytic shellfish toxins accumulate in seafood like oysters, clams, scallops, mussels and cockles, according to the CFIA.
Some symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning include tingling and numbness of the lips, tongue, hands and feet. It can also cause difficulty swallowing, which can start after a few minutes or happen up to 10 hours after consumption.
"In severe situations, this can proceed to difficulty walking, muscle paralysis, respiratory paralysis and death," the agency says.
The recall was triggered by test results from the CFIA, and the agency is now conducting a food safety investigation, which could lead to the recall of other products.
There have been no illnesses reported from people eating the product.
The agency also issued a separate recall Thursday for a brand of dried wood ear mushrooms over possible salmonella contamination.
The CFIA says Wismettac Asian Foods is recalling the Shirakiku brand black fungus, or kikurage. The product was sold to hotels, restaurants and other institutions, the agency says.
The product was sold in 2.27 kilogram bags with codes up to and including Sept. 24.
They were distributed in B.C., Alberta, and Manitoba, but may have been sold nationally, the agency says.
"Food contaminated with salmonella may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick," the CFIA said in a statement Thursday.
"Young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems may contract serious and sometimes deadly infections. Healthy people may experience short-term symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea."
A long-term complication could include severe arthritis, the agency says.
The recalled product should be thrown away or returned where it was purchased.
The CFIA says there have been reported illnesses in the U.S. associated with people eating the mushroom.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, 41 people in 10 different states have fallen ill. Four patients needed to be hospitalized.
