Mushroom picking normally takes place in early autumn. This year, this activity appreciated by many French people was able to start earlier in France, due to the weather mixing coolness and humidity. So that mushroom picking remains a fun time, it is nevertheless important to know certain rules to avoid poisoning.
And for good reason: between July and August, no less than 300 cases of poisoning were reported to poison control centers, reveals theNational Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES). But that’s not all: three people died following poisoning in 2021.
How to pick and eat mushrooms safely?
Mushroom in poor condition, confusion of an edible mushroom with a toxic mushroom, poor cooking… So many factors that can cause poisoning. To prevent the risk of poisoning and pick mushrooms safely, ANSES reveals the correct behavior to adopt. The recommendations to follow are as follows:
- only pick mushrooms that you know perfectly to avoid any confusion between those that look similar;
- do not consume mushrooms identified using a mushroom recognition application, as the risk of error is high;
- do not consume your harvest if you have the slightest doubt about the species of mushrooms in question;
- do not eat mushrooms sold “on the run”,
- only collect mushrooms in good condition and pick them in their entirety so that you can identify them correctly;
- do not pick mushrooms near sites that may be polluted, such as roadsides, industrial areas or even landfills;
- when picking, arrange the mushrooms by species;
- never place mushrooms in a plastic bag, as this encourages them to rot;
- consume the mushrooms within two days of picking after storing them in the refrigerator (maximum 4°C), avoiding contact with other foods;
- take a photo of the picked mushrooms before eating them, as this may be useful in the event of poisoning;
- limit the quantities of mushrooms consumed;
- never eat mushrooms raw and cook them sufficiently, i.e. 20 to 30 minutes in a pan or 15 minutes in boiling water;
- do not give picked mushrooms to young children and make sure they do not put mushrooms found in the garden or schoolyard in their mouths.
Mushrooms: what are the signs to watch for and what to do in case of poisoning?
Manifestations of poisoning most often occur a few hours after consuming mushrooms, but this period can be longer and exceed 12 hours. If symptoms appear, ANSES recommends noting the time when the mushrooms were consumed, that of the onset of the first symptoms, but also to keep the remains of the meal or the picking in order to allow the identification of the mushrooms by the following.
Do you feel bad after eating mushrooms? In the event of a life-threatening emergency, in other words symptoms such as respiratory distress or loss of consciousness, you should immediately call 15 or 112. In the event of symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, tremors or dizziness, call a poison control center immediately.
Read also :
⋙ How to recognize an edible mushroom?
⋙ Shiitake: this error in the preparation of these mushrooms can lead to poisoning
⋙ 14 tips for picking and eating mushrooms safely