A total of 22 products were included in the June recall

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

It started in June when Prophet Premium Blends issued a recall of its Diamond Shruumz Infused Cones, Chocolate Bars, and Gummies, both Micro- and Mega/Extreme-Dose.

After closer examination, it was revealed the products contain Muscimol, potent psychoactive compound found in certain mushrooms, most notably the Amanita muscaria and related species of mushroom.

Some people who consumed the products reported symptoms like seizures, agitation, involuntary muscle contractions, loss of consciousness, confusion, sleepiness, nausea and vomiting, abnormal heart rates, and hyper/hypotension.

Since then, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has investigated the products, analyzing their ingredients. As of late August, the FDA had tested 22 samples of Chocolate Bars and one raw ingredient that was reportedly used in the manufacturing of some Diamond Shruumz-brand products.

The agency reports that nine of the 22 Chocolate Bars and the raw ingredient were found to contain muscimol. Muscimol does not appear in all products and cannot explain all the symptoms reported by ill patients who consumed the Diamond Shruumz-brand Chocolate Bars.

The list of compounds

In addition to muscimol, FDA analyses of Diamond Shruumz-brand Chocolate Bar samples identified the presence of the following compounds:

• Acetylpsilocin (also known as 4-acetoxy-N N-dimethyltryptamine, 4-acetoxy-DMT, O-acetylpsilocin or psilacetin) was found in nine Chocolate Bar samples;

• Psilocin, a Schedule I-controlled substance, was found in four Chocolate Bar samples;

• Pregabalin, a prescription drug, was found in three Chocolate Bar samples; and

• Desmethoxyyangonin, dihydrokavain, and kavain (kavalactones found in the kava plant), were all present together in 18 Chocolate Bar samples.

• Ibotenic acid and muscimol were detected in the raw ingredient that was reportedly used in the manufacturing of some Diamond Shruumz-brand products.

Although these compounds individually have known effects when ingested, there is less research on the interactions between these compounds when ingested together, the FDA said in its latest update. FDA and CDC medical officers are interpreting these test results to understand the health risks of ingesting these chemical substances and to determine the appropriate next steps.

Illegal controlled substance

In July, CDC completed an investigation of other Diamond Shruumz products and found that some of the gummy products contain an illegal controlled substance.

Gummies listing the hallucinogenic mushroom Amanita muscaria or other unnamed mushrooms as ingredients have been marketed as nootropics (substances taken to enhance cognitive function), the CDC said in its report from the field. A. muscaria can cause hallucinations, agitation, gastrointestinal upset, and seizures.

The CDC found that from September 2023 to June 2024, five persons required hospital evaluation after ingesting gummies labeled to contain A. muscaria. Five brands of gummies marketed as mushroom-containing nootropics were analyzed. The CDC said three contained unlabeled Drug Enforcement Administration schedule I substances psilocybin and psilocin.

A ConsumerAffairs analysis of government data found that nearly 1,000 U.S. retail stores sold the treats before they were recalled.