General News
17 April, 2023
Poisonous wild mushroom warning
Victorians are being warned of the dangers of consuming wild mushrooms as wet and cooler weather provides the ideal growing conditions for certain types. Death Cap mushrooms and Yellow staining mushrooms commonly grow in regional Victoria (and metro...
Victorians are being warned of the dangers of consuming wild mushrooms as wet and cooler weather provides the ideal growing conditions for certain types.
Death Cap mushrooms and Yellow staining mushrooms commonly grow in regional Victoria (and metro Melbourne), and can cause gastrointestinal illness, liver failure, and death.
“We’re urging Victorians not to pick and consume wild mushrooms — doing so can have serious consequences for your health,” Victoria’s Deputy Chief Health Officer Clare Looker said.
“It is very difficult to distinguish between poisonous and edible wild mushrooms, so people are advised to only consume commercially bought mushrooms.”
The most dangerous species Death Cap mushrooms, are typically found near oak trees. It is an exotic species that was accidentally introduced from Europe.
These mushrooms are large, with a pale yellow-green to olive-brown cap, white gills, a skirt around the stem and a cup-shaped sac around the base.
Symptoms of Death Cap poisoning can include stomach pains, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea within hours of consumption. Even if symptoms subside, serious organ failure can occur 24-48 hours after ingestion that may result in death.
The Yellow staining mushroom is another exotic species that is the cause of most poisonings due to ingestion of wild fungi in Victoria.
This mushroom looks very similar to supermarket-bought or cultivated mushroom, and to edible wild mushrooms like the field mushroom.
In urban areas, the Yellow staining mushroom can grow in large troops in lawns and gardens.
The cap and stem are white-ish to pale brown, and turn yellow when rubbing the surface with a thumbnail. It usually has an unpleasant odour.
Symptoms experienced after consumption include nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhoea. The severity of symptoms varies with the amount eaten.
“If you suspect you may have consumed a poisonous mushroom, seek medical attention immediately. Do not wait for symptoms to appear,” Dr Looker said.
You should contact the Victorian Poisons Information Centre immediately on 13 11 26 for assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
