Eating wild mushrooms is a dangerous game
The recent rainy weather has made perfect conditions for growing fungi. Mushrooms are delectable but expensive, which may make it tempting to step out the back door and harvest some of them – but before doing so, stop and think of the possible danger involved.
There are many look-a-like mushrooms that are deadly, and unless you’re an experienced mycologist – a biologist who works specifically with fungi – you should not eat what you see growing.
Wild mushroom consumption should not be taken lightly. One cautionary tale was issued to Western New York residents in September 2005 when a middle-aged man from the Buffalo-area was poisoned by a mushroom he had picked. The man had picked and eaten mushrooms before with no trouble. Nonetheless, he developed nausea, vomiting and diarrhea the morning after consuming a mushroom that Buffalo-area mycologist, Ernst Both, later identified as Amanita bisporigera. The mushroom is known to produce severe and potentially fatal liver failure and has no known effective treatment. Sadly, the man died of liver failure within several days.
While it may sound like an amusing idea to seek out and eat nature’s bounty, it’s vital to keep in mind that many mushrooms that grow around us are deadly. Regardless of how knowledgeable mushroom-aficionados are, many poisonous mushrooms closely resemble edible ones. For example, the true Morel Morchella esculenta can be very easily confused with the Early False Morel Gyromitra esculenta, which can be toxic if eaten raw. Even the experts can sometimes be fooled.
Mushrooms can certainly be exquisite to look at. A vast array of textures, colors, and sizes of mushrooms can leave any observer in awe of nature’s beauty. Seeking out mushrooms is a wonderful pastime, which brings people outside of the developed areas we so often feel enclosed by and closer to nature. Still, it’s wise to heed the old adage that parents teach their children: “Look, but don’t touch.”
When it comes to mushroom consumption, stick to buying only commercially available mushrooms. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, cultivated commercial mushrooms of whatever species are almost never determined to be the cause of poisoning outbreaks except on rare occasions when there are associated problems like improper canning (which lead to bacterial food poisoning). There is simply no need to put your life in danger by seeking out unusual mushrooms that you can likely find in stores, especially considering that many grocers today carry many varieties of mushrooms. People interested in a more exceptional assortment of mushrooms can look to gourmet food stores to indulge in their favorite delicacies.
These mushrooms have been inspected by experts and determined to be safe for consumption.
If anyone ingests a wild mushroom or any other potentially toxic substance, call the Poison Center Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. The number works nationwide, automatically connecting you to your nearest center, where you’ll reach certified specialists who can triage your call and get you the information – or medical help – you need. Operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year, our local center is housed within the University of Rochester Medical Center/Strong Memorial Hospital, and is staffed by physicians, medical toxicologists and specialists in poison information who are registered nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physicians or pharmacists. Our local Poison Control Center is available to help residents in the Rochester and Finger Lakes areas.
Submitted by Ruth Lawrence, M.D., director of the Ruth A. Lawrence Poison & Drug Information Center and professor of Pediatrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center