French health authorities have reported a significant increase in poisonings linked to the consumption of wild mushrooms, with over 400 cases documented since July. The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) noted that the Directorate General of Health (DGS) recorded a total of 1,179 affected individuals from early July, including 32 serious poisoning incidents.
In 2023 alone, more than 1,400 mushroom poisonings were reported to poison control centers between July and December, primarily occurring in November. This year saw cases involving individuals aged from 21 months to 95 years old. Symptoms predominantly included digestive issues such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. While most cases were mild, there were 23 severe instances; fortunately, no fatalities were reported.
As autumn marks the beginning of mushroom-picking season in France, authorities typically see an uptick in reports of mushroom-related illnesses. Among the severe cases this season, 20 involved phalloid syndrome—a condition characterized by digestive symptoms appearing roughly 10 to 12 hours after consuming contaminated mushrooms. This syndrome can lead to life-threatening liver damage if not treated promptly; tragically, two patients required liver transplants.
Experts warn against serving picked wild mushrooms to infants due to safety concerns; nonetheless, this year saw 59 children under the age of ten affected by mushroom poisoning. Notably, out of all reported poisonings this year, collected mushrooms were consumed raw in 55 meals—an action strongly discouraged by health officials.
The rise in poisonings is attributed to several factors: misidentification of edible species as toxic varieties or consuming spoiled edible mushrooms that were poorly preserved or inadequately cooked. Alarmingly, among those poisoned this year, only 13 individuals used recognition applications on smartphones for identification while another 32 turned to internet searches—methods deemed risky due to high error rates.
Authorities emphasize the importance of having any uncertain mushroom identified by an expert before consumption. They recommend taking photographs of collected mushrooms prior to cooking them so that poison control centers can assist with identification.
To mitigate risks associated with wild mushroom foraging, ANSES advises collectors to use wicker baskets or cardboard boxes for storage instead of plastic bags that can hasten spoilage. Additional recommendations include washing hands thoroughly after handling mushrooms, refrigerating them promptly after picking, consuming them within two days of collection, and avoiding large quantities at once.
Furthermore, collectors should be cautious about gathering mushrooms from potentially polluted areas like roadsides or landfills and should only pick species they are certain are safe—given that some highly toxic varieties closely resemble edible ones.
Published on October 14, 2024 and Last Updated on October 17, 2024 by: Priyank Pandey
