As fall approaches, more people are venturing out for hiking and picnics. Especially for those who frequent the mountains, it’s crucial to be cautious of poisonous mushrooms. From spring to fall, approximately 2,000 types of mushrooms grow across the country, but only about 490 of these are edible. The rest are not distinguishable, so wild mushrooms should not be touched or eaten carelessly.
Is it enough to avoid brightly colored mushrooms?
Contrary to the belief that only brightly colored mushrooms are poisonous, many poisonous mushrooms resemble edible ones. It’s tough for the average person to distinguish between them based on appearance alone. For instance, “Cordyceps,” which we use for medicinal purposes, are quite vibrant but also one of the plants humans consume.
What if you’ve eaten a poisonous mushroom?
If you eat a poisonous mushroom, symptoms of poisoning such as paralysis of the nervous system, gastrointestinal irritation, vomiting, and hallucinations appear 6 to 8 hours later due to various toxins such as amatoxins, coprine, and psilocybin. Suppose symptoms of poisoning appear due to a poisonous mushroom. In that case, you should immediately go to a medical institution for appropriate treatment, and taking the mushroom you ate to the hospital can help with the treatment.
Hikers, in particular, should be cautious.
After the hot and humid summer, mushrooms grow explosively in the fall. This is also when the number of hikers increases, so it’s a period prone to mushroom poisoning incidents. Some mushrooms can change shape as they age, so it’s best to identify them in time. For hikers, using identification apps that provide information about various types of mushrooms can be helpful.
Does a silver spoon turn color if it’s a poisonous mushroom?
It’s commonly believed that if the color of a silver spoon changes, it’s a poisonous mushroom. However, even after cooking the deadly ‘Death Cap’ mushroom, the color of a silver spoon doesn’t change when inserted. On the contrary, it can discolor when a silver spoon is inserted into a dish made with the edible Shiitake mushroom. This is because the ingredients of the Shiitake mushroom cause an oxidation reaction when they come into contact with the silver spoon, and it can be determined that the silver spoon’s toxicity and discoloration are not related at all.
What if there are signs of insects or bugs eating it?
Insects or bugs do not discriminate between types of mushrooms. The reaction to the toxicity of mushrooms is unique to vertebrates and snails, which eat and live off mushrooms and tear into and eat all types of poisonous mushrooms regardless of the poison. Therefore, it is forbidden to assume that a mushroom is not poisonous just because there are signs of insects or bugs eating it.
Young poisonous mushrooms are difficult to distinguish
Some young poisonous mushrooms are similar in shape and color to edible mushrooms, and they do not have a smell, making them difficult to distinguish. The ‘Death Cap’ mushroom, mentioned earlier as an example, is often the culprit in poisoning incidents. When young, it resembles a tiny egg, and as it grows, a white stem and cap appear, making it easy to mistake for a cap mushroom or an edible mushroom. Mushrooms can vary in size, shape, and color depending on their nutritional status and habitat, so extra caution is needed.
Refer to the National Standard Mushroom List
The National Arboretum has revised the National Standard Mushroom List, adding 176 species to the list of about 1,900 species of mushrooms officially recorded in the country, to provide accurate information about poisonous mushrooms. The National Standard Mushroom List can be searched in the ‘National Biological Species Knowledge Information System,’ and you can also view images related to the edibility of each species.
Main poisonous mushrooms to be cautious of
The ‘Amanita virosa’ is about the size of a circle made by joining your thumb and index finger, and it is often confused with the edible Yellow Egg Mushroom. The ‘Red Stag’s Horn Fungus’ has a creepy finger-like shape that sprouts from the ground, and many people mistake it for the early stage of the medicinal herb Bulrocho. It is a highly toxic mushroom and can be dangerous even to touch for those with sensitive skin.
How to safely eat mushrooms?
You should know and follow the correct cooking methods to eat mushrooms safely. Even for the same edible mushrooms, those with some toxicity should be blanched and thoroughly drained before cooking to avoid side effects such as diarrhea and abdominal pain. Even non-toxic mushrooms can cause allergies or side effects if consumed in large quantities or by certain individuals, so caution is needed.
The value as a biological resource is high
While poisonous mushrooms threaten us, they are highly valued as biological resources. Substances effective for cancer treatment and substances that inhibit the formation of fat cells have been found in various extracts of poisonous mushrooms. Moreover, it has been revealed that they have an anticancer effect more than 500 times higher than the currently used drugs, and they are expected to be a new natural anticancer treatment.
By. Shin Young Jeon (press@daily.co.kr)
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