Mushrooms poisoning prevention

HOW TO PREVENT MUSHROOMS POISONING

Tips to prevent poisoning by mushrooms

It is very important to consider the following tips when picking mushrooms. These tips can help prevent poisoning caused by ingestion of poisonous mushrooms.

There are many legends about the consumption of mushrooms. Most of these legends are false and have been responsible for many poisonings.

Increasingly, mushroom pickers are more aware of the dangers of mushrooming when there is insufficient knowledge of a particular species.

Still, there are many accidents, so it is necessary to consider a set of rules.

What to do not to become poisoned by poisonous mushrooms?

Among the most important advice we have to take into account , we can point out the following:

Do not eat a mushroom if you are not quite sure what species it is

This is the first and most important rule of all. Because of the toxicity of mushrooms one can not experiment on the wholesomeness of a species.

When we are not completely safe, it is best not to pick up a mushroom and, of course, not to eat it.

There is no home remedy to nullify or cure the toxicity of mushrooms:

So the only option is to abstain from eating poisoned mushrooms !!!

Do not rely on the legends about the edibility of mushrooms

Among the legends that exist about whether mushrooms are “good” or “bad”, we can consider the following:

• Animals eat good mushrooms : This legend is false. Some animals eat mushrooms that are edible and other mushrooms that are also eaten by animals are toxic. For example, slugs eat the Amanita phalloides and it does not cause any damage to them. The ingestion of this mushroom can be lethal for people.
• The test of garlic and mushrooms? There is a legend that says that if you boil the mushrooms with a garlic and this becomes black, the mushrooms are “bad”, whereas if the garlic not get black, they are “good.” This legend is false.
• The test of the coin and mushrooms? Another completely false legend says that, when you boil the mushrooms with a silver coin, if it turns black, the mushrooms are poisonous and it does not blacken when the mushrooms are good.
• The test of the egg and mushrooms? The legend saying that poisonous mushrooms blacken the egg white is false.
• The onion and mushrooms? The legend saying that poisonous mushrooms blacken an onion is false.
• The bread and mushrooms? The legend saying that poisonous mushrooms blacken the bread is false.
• The wellcooked poisonous mushrooms are good? It is true that some mushrooms are toxic when raw and become edible when cooked well. But, in general, cooking does not neutralize all poisons from toxic mushrooms. Therefore, we should not eat poisonous mushrooms thinking that by cooking them well we can consider them eatable.
• Toxic mushrooms marinated with salt and vinegar become edible? The legend that claims that soaking poisonous mushrooms in salt and vinegar converts them to edible is false.
• Mushrooms with good smell and good taste are good? There is a false legend that says that mushrooms that taste good and smell good are edible. Many poisonous mushrooms do not have any taste or odor.

• The mushrooms that grow on waste or dirt are toxic?: The legend says that mushrooms that grow on or near waste are toxic is false. A mushroom can grow on a surface littered with trash and can be edible because the species is edible. A mushroom can grow in the same place and be toxic because the species is always toxic.
• The mushrooms have the ability to take organic waste for food and their quality is not affected by them. There is also a false legend that says that mushrooms growing with rusted iron, jars of preserves, toxic plants, etc. become toxic.
• The mushrooms that grow on wood are “good”? It is also false the legend that says that all mushrooms that grow on wood are edible. There are lethal species living on logs or wood.
• The mushrooms that grow in meadows are “good”? There is false legend that says that all mushrooms that grow in lawns are edible. In the meadows, like in the woods, grow edible mushrooms as poisonous mushrooms.
• Edible mushrooms that grow along the poisonous become poisonous?: A false legend says that edible mushrooms become toxic when they grow in touch with poisonous mushrooms.

An edible mushroom is still edible even though it can grow next to a toxic mushroom. Often toxic and edible mushrooms live in the same roots of the same tree.

• All mushrooms that do not blacken when being cut are edible? A false legend says that all mushrooms that turn black when cut are poisonous. Many toadstools do not change color when cut. In the same way, other edible mushrooms change color when cut.
• All poisonous mushrooms wear a ring or veil? A false legend says that all mushrooms having a ring or veil are poisonous. Some mushrooms are poisonous without having a ring or veil, and some are good.

Similarly, some mushrooms are edible and they do not have a ring or are unveiled. Therefore the presence or absence of ring or veil, in general, says nothing about edibility.

More information on mushrooms.

Written by Editorial Botanical-online team in charge of content writing

20 October, 2024