Autumn is well and truly here. This may be an opportunity for you to go and collect mushrooms in the forest, but be careful of poisoning, since July 1, 600 cases have already been recorded. Some tips to avoid poisoning yourself.
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There are 35,000 species of mushrooms in France, inevitably, we risk coming across dangerous specimens. Besides theNational Food Safety Agency (l‘ANSES), alerts on the increase in poisonings. There are numerous works which allow us to identify them as The essential mushroom picker’s guide or The big book of mushrooms. There are also applications like Champignouf, or Seek. They are free and can identify a mushroom from a photo, but be careful because they are not always reliable.
Then there are precautions to take during your walk. First tip: we don’t take a plastic bag, but we prefer a basket. Check the shape of the mushroom, the color, and choose the species you know. If you have the slightest doubt, have your picking checked by a mycologist, that is to say a mushroom specialist, or even by a pharmacist. Above all, do not eat wild mushrooms raw. Certain species, even edible ones, can cause health problems.
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Once you get home, you need to know how to prepare them properly so as not to get poisoned. First recommendation: consume them within 48 hours and store them in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. To wash them, contrary to popular belief, it is not advisable to run them under water to prevent them from being soaked with water; it is better to clean them with a brush or a damp cloth. Then, cook them in a pan for around thirty minutes or immerse them in boiling water for at least 15 minutes. So you can enjoy good gratins, stuffed mushrooms or delicious soups without taking any risks.
In case of poisoning: SAMU or poison control centers
If ever after eating mushrooms you do not feel well: if you feel dizzy, shake or vomit, the first thing to do is to contact one of the poison control centers closest to you, they can be reached 24 hours a day, the numbers are displayed online on the centre-antipoison.net website.
You can also call the SAMU at 15. For a better diagnosis, do not drink anything, keep one of the mushrooms that you collected in the forest, note the time of your last meal and the appearance of your symptoms and wait recommendations from a professional.