The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating a second possible death linked to a brand of mushroom-infused products that was recalled last month, the two agencies said in a July 23 update.
A total of 74 illnesses have been reported across 28 states in connection with the recalled Diamond Shruumz-brand products as of July 22, the agencies said.
About 62 of the 74 people who reported being sick sought medical care, and 38 have been hospitalized, the FDA and CDC said.
The recalled products, which include Diamond Shruumz Microdosing Chocolate Bars, Infused Cones, and Micro-Dose and Mega-Dose/Extreme Gummies, were taken off shelves in June by manufacturer Prophet Premium Blends of Santa Ana, California.
At the time of that recall, the company said the items contained “higher than normal amounts” of muscimol and that was likely the reason why people were falling ill after consuming the products. Muscimol is a potent psychoactive compound found in certain mushrooms, notably the Amanita muscaria and related species.
According to the FDA and CDC, individuals who consumed the recalled Diamond Shruumz-brand products and reported falling ill suffered a variety of severe symptoms including seizures and central nervous system depression, including confusion, sleepiness, and loss of consciousness.
Illegal Substances Found in Mushroom-Infused Gummies
Researchers at the University of Virginia Health Toxicology Laboratory recently found that multiple mushroom-infused products—including some made by Diamond Shruumz—tested positive for the illegal hallucinogenic substances psilocybin and psilocin.The CDC said in a July 18 statement that the researchers purchased six packages of gummies across five brands between September 2023 and November 2023.
The products were purchased from gas stations and smoke shops near the Blue Ridge Poison Center in Charlottesville, Virginia, and all of the gummies were marketed as mushroom-containing “nootropics,” also known as cognitive enhancers.
The brands tested were Diamond Shruumz Sour Peach Apple, Diamond Shruumz Rainbow, Urb Magic Amanita Mushroom Watermelon, Wonderland Legal Psychedelics Cherry Nirvana, Psilly’s Legal Psychedelic Mushrooms Fruit Punch, and Tryp mushroom gummies.
Researchers found that mushroom gummies in four of the six bags contained unlabeled psilocybin or psilocin, both of which are active components in other psychedelic mushrooms. Psilocybin and psilocin are Schedule I substances and are currently illegal in Virginia, the CDC said.
Researchers also found other unlabeled substances in some of the bags, including caffeine, ephedrine, and mitragynine—also known as kratom—which works like an opioid and has stimulant-like effects.
The agency warned individuals not to purchase or consume any Diamond Shruumz-brand products and to report stores that are selling the items to the FDA. The FDA and CDC said they will update the advisory as additional information becomes available.
Neither Diamond Shruumz nor its parent company, Prophet Premium Blends, responded to emails from The Epoch Times seeking comment.