In the past fortnight, 493 cases of poisoning have been reported to poison control centers, including one serious, ANSES warned on Wednesday 23 October. Because many mushroom pickers have confused toxic species with edible ones.
The season is risky. While ANSES called a few weeks ago to clearly differentiate chestnuts from edible chestnuts so as not to become poisoned, the risk is also there with regard to mushrooms. In the past fortnight, 493 cases of poisoning have been reported to poison control centers, including one serious, warned theNational Health Security Agency (Anses) Wednesday 23 October. No one died, however, the statement said, calling on pickers to be vigilant.
“Over the past two weeks, the cooler and wetter weather conditions have favored the growth of mushrooms”, explains ANSES in the preamble. Also, picking enthusiasts have had a field day and many have confused toxic species with edible ones.
“In recent days, we have had a lot of cases of confusion of meadow rose with yellowing agarics or confusion of other types of mushrooms with livid entolomas for example”, explains Dr Jérôme Langrand, toxicologist, to France Info. However, this error can have health consequences.
Emergency care
“For these two species, this will cause a syndrome that strongly resembles severe gastroenteritis, with really marked digestive disorders, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea. These can be so intense that it can create a real risk of dehydration, particularly for sensitive people. This requires emergency care to be rehydrated and monitored for the duration of the symptoms”, he specifies. These can happen quickly when mushroom toxins directly attack the digestive tract. In most cases, they disappear after 48 hours.
But some fungus errors can be much more serious. “You have fungi that will cause liver damage with really major hepatitis, for which sometimes nothing can be done and which can lead to liver transplantation or even death of the patient”, he warns. In addition, “you have mushrooms which cause kidney damage which are very important and which may require transplants. You also have neurological damage which can cause convulsions (…) You really have powerful poisons in the mushrooms!”, insists he.
Also, if you feel seized with severe digestive or vision problems, tremors or dizziness after eating wild mushrooms, immediately call 15 or the poison control center in your area, specifying that you have eaten them.
Remember to take a picture of your picking before cooking it
To avoid this, ANSES and the Directorate General for Health remind you to only pick up mushrooms that you know perfectly well. Pick only specimens in good condition and complete in order to be sure of being able to recognize them. If in doubt, have your harvest checked by a specialist.
After harvesting, wash your hands and be sure to keep your mushrooms in a plastic bag as this accelerates rotting. Store them in the fridge, in a crate or box and eat them within two days. Always eat them cooked and, before cooking them, remember to photograph them. If there is a problem, the photo may allow a toxicologist to identify what made you sick and thus offer you the appropriate treatment. Finally, never give wild mushrooms to children to eat, reminds ANSES.
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