FDA, CDC Probing 2nd Possible Death Linked to Diamond Shruumz Products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating Diamond-Shruumz Microdosing candy bars after hospitalizations were reported. (Courtesy of the FDA)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are investigating a second possible death linked to a brand of mushroom-infused products that were recalled last month, the two agencies said in a July 23 update.

One death potentially linked to the recalled items was already being investigated, the FDA said last week. The agencies did not provide further details regarding the two deaths.

A total of 74 illnesses have been reported across 28 states in relation to the recalled Diamond Shruumz-brand products as of July 22, the agencies said.

Approximately 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 this 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 of mushrooms.

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.

Individuals also reported agitation, abnormal heart rates, hyper/hypotension, nausea, and vomiting, the agencies said.

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.

Psilocybin mushrooms stand ready for harvest in a humidified fruiting chamber in the basement of a private home in Fairfield County, Conn., on July 27, 2023. (John Moore/Getty Images)

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 Diamond Shruumz Sour Peach Apple and Diamond Shruumz Rainbow products were found to contain psilocin. Urb Magic Amanita Mushroom Watermelon contained both psilocybin and psilocin. Wonderland Legal Psychedelics Cherry Nirvana contained psilocin and mitragynine.

Psilly’s Legal Psychedelic Mushrooms Fruit Punch didn’t contain psilocybin or psilocin, but a central nervous system stimulant, ephedrine, was identified during testing. Tryp mushroom gummies were found to contain only the ingredients listed on the label.

In its latest update, the FDA said that despite Diamond Shruumz-brand products being recalled, the agency is aware that, as of July 16, the products were still available for sale at several smoke/vape shops across the country and at retailers that sell hemp-derived products such as cannabidiol (CBD) or delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8 THC).

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 when additional information becomes available.

Neither Diamond Shruumz nor its parent company, Prophet Premium Blends, responded to emails from The Epoch Times seeking comment.