Don't eat wild mushrooms without asking!
In the world of foraging, the "positive identification" any potential food is vital. The positive identification of mushrooms is a multistep process using various physical qualities. These include size, shape, coloration, scent, spore color and substrate.
Mushrooms are enigmatic and mysterious. Many look incredibly similar to others and can be dangerous if misidentified.
This being said, there are thousands of edible mushrooms in the United States. We don't want you
How it happened
A Massachusetts family mistook Death Cap, or Amanita phalloides, for edible mushrooms. True to its name, Death caps are deadly toxic.
The family may have mistaken them for young Paddy straw mushrooms. These mushrooms, Volvariella volvacea, grow in southeastern Asia. The family is originally from Malaysia and have foraged for mushrooms there before.
What next?
Amanita phalloides toxin is an amatoxin. This class of toxins stop the synthesis of new proteins in our bodies. As a vital enzyme called RNA polymerase is inhibited, acute liver failure can occur. This damage happens quickly and is usually dire before it is diagnosed.
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An experimental treatment was tested on this family, but one of them ended up requiring a liver transplant. Both survived.
How to avoid this!
Consult a mycolgist!
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This is an easy ID mistake as these mushrooms are rather nondescript. In their button stages, these fungi can be mistaken for a few different edibles. These include young paddy straw mushrooms and common puffballs.
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Scheduling an ID Walk or phoning in a Quick ID with me is a great place to start.
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