'Cooking does not eliminate the poison': Critical warning from an expert about fatal mushroom poisoning

The proliferation of mushrooms that grow spontaneously in nature with autumn rains brings the risk of fatal poisoning. Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) Emergency Medicine and Phytotherapy Specialist Prof. made evaluations on the subject. Dr. Türker Yardan warned citizens that consuming mushrooms collected from nature could cause liver and kidney failure and even death.

"THE LATE START OF SYMPTOMS MAY BE MISLEADING"

Stating that one of the most important causes of fatal mushroom poisoning is the Amanita phalloides (village migrant) species, Prof. Dr. Türker Yardan said that after consuming this mushroom, symptoms of poisoning appear with a delay. Noting that complaints such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea usually begin after 6 to 12 hours in the first stage, Yardan pointed out that it may be misleading for a person to feel better in the later stages of the disease.

Emphasizing that liver and kidney damage may become evident within 3 to 6 days, Yardan said, "The decrease in a person's complaints does not mean that the poisoning has passed. Therefore, when there is a suspicion of poisoning after mushroom consumption, symptoms should not be expected to appear."

COOKING DOES NOT DESTROY THE POISON

Prof. underlines that the beliefs that poisonous mushrooms can be rendered harmless by soaking them in vinegar or salt water, boiling them, cooking them well or drying them in the sun are completely wrong. Dr. Yardan stated that poisonous mushrooms cannot be reliably distinguished by their appearance, smell or taste. He also noted that some types of mushrooms, if consumed with alcohol, may cause additional health problems such as palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain and dizziness.

EVEN IF THERE IS NO COMPLAINT, YOU SHOULD APPLY TO THE HOSPITAL

Yardan said that people who consume mushrooms collected from nature should contact a health institution without delay, even if they do not have any complaints, and stated that it is vital to inform the 112 Emergency Call Center. Yardan stated that taking a sample remaining from the consumed mushroom to the hospital would contribute greatly to the diagnosis process, and noted that all people who eat the same mushroom should undergo a health check-up, even if they have no complaints.

Reminding that mushroom poisoning should not be considered as a simple food poisoning, experts stated that early intervention and, if necessary, liver transplantation can save lives, and recommended that supervised cultivated mushrooms be preferred.