Mushrooms, which reproduce and grow in environments with heat and humidity, grow much more delicious and abundant in spring and fall. Productivity is higher in the fall compared to spring. Mushrooms that can grow in bushes and tree bases can cause poisoning when consumed carelessly, while most poisoning is due to lack of information. Therefore, if you are not an expert, you should be much more careful.
While there is no precise criterion for identifying poisonous mushrooms, the mushrooms collected by people and whether they are poisonous or not can be determined as a result of examination in laboratory environments. People who are not knowledgeable about this subject, which requires expertise and knowledge, may be mistaken and poisoned. In addition, with some remarkable features, it can be understood whether the multicellular food is poisonous or not.
Misconceptions About Mushrooms
They are known as creatures in the "Fungi" kingdom, away from the plant and animal kingdom. There are some situations that people should pay attention to where they go to collect them in the fall months. Most of the poisonings are caused by mistakes that people think they know correctly. The mistakes known to be true about mushrooms are as follows:
- If it turns blue when plucked, it is poisonous
- If the spoon turns black when cooked with a silver spoon, it is poisonous
- The species snails eat are not poisonous
- The species that insects eat are not poisonous
- Those growing in meadows and on trees are non-toxic
- Boiling with vinegar or salt water removes the poison
- Dried ones are not poisonous.
- When cooked, the poison disappears and can be eaten
All of these words that are commonly heard in society are false. They should never be taken into account and their toxicity can only be determined by experts and in laboratories.
While it is recommended that people put what they collect for food in baskets, it is not recommended to put it in airtight plastic bags. Placing them in the basket after cleaning them in the place where they are found prevents washing and prevents contamination of others with dirty ones.
Which mushrooms are poisonous?
There are separate groups as edible, inedible and poisonous. Although inedible species are not poisonous, they cannot be eaten because their structure is hard, their odor and taste are bad. In our country, which is rich in species, there are about 100 poisonous species and about 10 lethal species. People who do not have expertise in this field should not touch and consume multicellular food that they come across in nature and do not know whether it is poisonous or not. Eating even 1 of the poisonous ones will be enough to poison the person. In addition, while deadly species are much more dangerous, they can cause death if eaten. For this reason, it is recommended that people who do not have information on this subject should not eat species they do not know.
If this food, which has approximately 100 poisonous species in our country, is consumed, it can cause serious negative consequences in the person's body. The main poisonous mushroom species are as follows:
Village gourd (Amanita phalloides): About 95 percent of fatal poisonings in Turkey are caused by this species. It has a shiny and sticky surface when moist. If consumed, symptoms appear in about 10 hours.
Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria): It is egg-shaped and has a diameter of about 20 cm. Its hat is remarkable with its reddish and orange color. It is a poisonous species that appears in the fall.
Amanita Pantherina: This species, which can cause severe poisoning, is 5-10 cm in size and has a dark color in the middle. It grows under pine and deciduous trees, usually in the fall.
Ink Mushroom (Coprinus Atramentarius): It is an edible species. However, if consumed, alcohol should not be consumed for 3 days. If alcohol is consumed within 72 hours, it causes poisoning.
Sulfur Clump Mushroom (Hypholoma Fasciculare): It is bitter and poisonous. If consumed, it can cause vomiting, diarrhea and some convulsions. It can be seen from early summer to fall.
Funeral Bell Mushroom (Galerina Marginata): This species, which is often confused with edible species, contains poisonous toxic substances. While it can pose a life risk, in some people; It can cause stomach pains, vomiting, liver damage.
Lamb's Belly Mushroom (Gyromitra Esculenta): This species, which poses a mortal danger if consumed raw, has a shape with brain-like folds.
Ague Mushroom (Omphalotus Olearius): It has a serious poisonous nature. Symptoms appear about half an hour after ingestion and are severe.
Hollow Cup Mushroom (Sarcosphaera Coronaria): It is a species that should not be consumed. In addition, raw and undercooked consumption can cause fatal consequences.
If any of the above species are consumed, emergency intervention may be required. For this reason, people should apply to the emergency department of hospitals immediately after eating these poisonous species without realizing it. There are also some things that need to be done to prevent such situations from occurring.
Our society needs to be more aware of this issue and pay attention to poisoning. In addition, it should be ensured that they are urgently transported to the hospital in case of poisoning.
Types of Mushrooms Grown in Turkey and Edible
There are about 300 species of non-poisonous mushrooms growing in Turkey. There are species that do not cause any harm or even have benefits if consumed. Some of these can be listed as follows.
- Culture mushroom
- Oyster mushrooms
- Canlıca mushroom
- Egg fungus
- Bear mushroom
- Lamb Belly
- Keme mushroom
- Emperor mushroom
- Truffles
- Beef tongue mushroom
- Tirmit mushroom