Due to weather conditions, the season of mushroom picking started earlier this year. But be careful: picking up mushrooms requires a little vigilance because, as ANSES points out, in a press release“In 2021, four people died following the confusion of an edible species with a toxic species. And since September 1, more than sixty cases have already been identified”.
Between July 1 and December 31, 2021, 1,269 poisonings were reported to poison control centres. The mushrooms responsible for these poisonings came mostly from picking (94% of cases). The other cases concerned mushrooms purchased commercially. While most poisonings were mild, 41 were severe and 4 deaths were recorded. 15 young children were poisoned and one of them had to benefit from a liver transplant. It is important to remember never to feed picked mushrooms to young children.
How to avoid poisoning?
1. Collect only mushrooms that you know perfectly well. Some highly poisonous mushrooms are very similar to edible species. Beware: Poisonous mushrooms can grow where you picked edible mushrooms another year. And separate the harvested mushrooms well by species to avoid mixing pieces of poisonous mushrooms with edible mushrooms.
2. Do not cut off the stems of your mushrooms. Pick only specimens in good condition and take the entire mushroom: stem and cap, to allow identification.
3. Never put them in a plastic bag. Place the mushrooms by separating the species, in a crate, cardboard or basket, but never in a plastic bag which accelerates rotting.
4. Don’t hesitate to have your collection identified. If in doubt about the condition or identification of one of the mushrooms harvested, do not eat the harvest before having it checked by a specialist in the field. Pharmacists or mycology associations and societies in your area can be consulted. A useful reflex: photograph your picking before cooking by separating the species! The photos will be useful to the toxicologist of the Poison Control Center in the event of poisoning, to decide on the appropriate treatment.
Do not consume mushrooms identified solely through a smartphone mushroom recognition app, due to the high risk of error. Last year, a few cases of confusion with an edible species were linked to the use of a digital mushroom recognition application.
5. Consume them as quickly as possible. Store the mushrooms avoiding any contact with other foods in the refrigerator (max 4°C) and consume them within two days of picking. Caution: consume the mushrooms in reasonable quantities after sufficient cooking (20 to 30 minutes in the pan or 15 minutes in boiling water) and do not eat them raw. Finally, never feed the mushrooms you have picked to young children.
What to do in case of poisoning with mushrooms?
Not all mushrooms you pick are edible. There are about a hundred poisonous species in Europe. Main responsible for 95% of fatal accidents: the famous Amanita phalloides. But other mushrooms are to be avoided: the fly agaric, the viral amanita, the boletus satan, among others.
Poisoning is usually manifested by nausea, diarrhea and abdominal pain. In the event of such symptoms, call the nearest poison control center immediately. Lay the sick person on their side and give them nothing to drink: no water, milk or alcoholic beverages. If possible, put aside the remains of the meal, the peelings (or failing that, the vomit) in order to identify the person responsible for the poisoning and to facilitate treatment.
>> Namely: the time to onset of symptoms is variable, most often a few hours after consumption, but it can be longer and exceed 12 hours. The condition of the intoxicated person can worsen rapidly.
Poison control center numbers:
- ANGERS : 02 41 48 21 21
- BORDEAUX : 05 56 96 40 80
- LILLE : 08 00 59 59 59
- LYONS : 04 72 11 69 11
- MARSEILLES : 04 91 75 25 25
- NANCY : 03 83 22 50 50
- PARIS : 01 40 05 48 48
- TOULOUSE : 05 61 77 74 47
>> In case of vital distress: loss of consciousness, respiratory distress, etc., call 15, 112 or 114 (SMS for the deaf and hard of hearing).
