Central Pennsylvania Wild Mushroom Club

 Recently there has been some discussion among some of the members on mushroom poisonings this year and the treatment. I've had a lot of questions on this as well from talking to numerous folks interested in eating wild mushrooms so I thought it appropriate to share a few links and talk a bit about this subject.

 As most of you know I  have Aminitaphobia ( I don't eat anything in the genus) even though I can positively ID a lot of them, I don't think it's worth the risk. Amatoxins cause very severe and sometimes fatal reactions. I can positively identify Lepiota naucina (smooth lepiota) but will not eat it because it looks too much like some of the deadly Aminita species. I encounter so many people who want to learn the edibles - and a few who just want to learn the psycotropics- I can't stress enough the importance of learning the mushrooms. You can't do that by just looking at pictures in a guide book! You really need to read the descriptions and spend some time learning about wild mushrooms before you eat them. I study a new edible for at least two years before I try it.  Sometimes more and I attempt find it in the field along with all it's look alikes to try to discern if my identification is correct. I do spore prints and chemical tests. If you have been in the woods this year, you can see how difficult it can sometimes be to positively identify a certain mushroom in it's various stages of developement. Let alone all the old and rotten fungi that I find and people sometimes think I can ID. When you use a guide book you are most often looking at a mushroom in prime condition so that is a factor that most don't take into account. They deform, decay,and become old depending upon the temperature, how much rain they get and other factors. You wouldn't eat rotten/old meat, why would you eat mushrooms in that condition? 

 Mushroom poisonings can come from misidentification, overindulgence, eating mushrooms that are past prime, undercooking, and an intolerance ( allergic reaction).     

Don't be complacent! Learn!   Do not eat any wild mushroom because someone- even an "Expert" has told you it is edible. Period, end of story. You are responsible for deciding whether you should eat anything or not. Study your guide books, learn about structure,growth preferences, spore prints, chemical reagents, and how to positively identify fungi.

 Bill, Barrie, Aaron, and I as well as othermembers are sharing what we have learned to further your understanding of this fascinating study, yet we can't possibly be responsible for you and what you decide to consume.

 First link is to Dr. O's blog a while back. Well worth reading again

https://centralpamushroomclub.org/node/133

 Second link is to the Northeast Mushroom group. There's a lot of useful info and interesting discussion on this site.  You have to join to access the discussions. Bill's friend - David Sphar- author of Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms of New England and Eastern Canada has a lot of input on everthing fungal here.

 https://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/NortheastMushrooms/

 Third is to an article in the Washington Post on the poisonings last month and how the treatment shows promise.

https://washingtonpost.com/blogs/post_now/post-two-more-ill-with-mushroom-poisoning/2011/09/26/gIQAB8XgzK_blog.html

Fourth is talk about treatment for mushroom poisonings. Be sure to scroll down and read the comments by Debby Viess and Marilyn Shaw!

https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/10/milk-thistle-extract-combats-mushroom-poisoning/

 Yeah, I know I ramble sometimes. I just wanted to get my point across.

 There are a lot of very good edible fungi out there, free food! Just for your time and effort but.....

 DON'T BE STUPID. Learn to discern and identify each and every one you decide to eat.

 See you Sunday, Karen