Mushrooms add delicacy to foods such as pizza, pasta, salads, and more. However, to find edible wild mushrooms, we should leave it to a professional mycologist (scientist who studies mushrooms). However, if you still want to identify edible mushrooms on your own, you should remain vigilant. Observe local mushroom sightings, and learn more from trusted sources. If you accidentally eat an unknown mushroom, pay attention to the symptoms that are bothering your body and seek medical attention immediately.
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Part 1 of 4: Observing Sightings of Mushrooms and Practicing Alertness
Step 1. Choose mushrooms that do not have white lamellae
Look for mushrooms with brown or brown lamellae. Although some mushrooms with white lamellae are edible, the most deadly and poisonous mushroom species, Amanita, almost always has white lamellae.
Step 2. Choose mushrooms whose caps or stems are not red
Choose mushrooms whose caps or stems are white, tan or brown. Red mushrooms are usually poisonous.
The poisonous mushroom uses its bright red body color to warn predators-including you-from getting close
Step 3. Look for mushrooms that don't have scales on their hoods
Avoid mushrooms with blotches or scales, which appear as lighter or darker colored spots on their hood. These scaly spots are common in varieties of poisonous mushrooms.
For example, a white fungus may have brown or brown scaly patches
Step 4. Look for mushrooms that don't have rings around their stems
Examine the underside of the mushroom hood for a circular network that resembles a hood and looks like a miniature version of the mushroom hood. If the fungus you are observing has this circular network, remove it. Mushrooms with these characteristics are usually poisonous.
Step 5. Bring two baskets when hunting mushrooms
Put the mushrooms you are sure you can eat in one basket, and the ones you are unsure about in the other. Holding poisonous mushrooms will have no effect on your body. Consult an expert to identify mushrooms that you still doubt are poisonous or not.
- You can contact a mushroom specialist through a local mycology group or at a local university.
- There is no specific location for edible mushrooms to grow. These fungi can be found on trees, logs, forest floors, or on moss.
- You don't need to wear gloves when hunting mushrooms.
Step 6. Do not eat mushrooms unless you are 100% sure they are non-toxic
Remember to always be careful when hunting mushrooms, because many varieties of poisonous mushrooms are similar to edible mushrooms. Some varieties of mushrooms can change their appearance depending on the conditions in which they are grown, making identification difficult.
- For example, mushrooms from the same variety can have different colors depending on the sun exposure they receive.
- Mushroom experts advise against eating mushrooms of any unidentifiable variety at least 3 times in the wild. A professional mushroom expert insists that you should be able to correctly identify each mushroom 3 times each.
Part 2 of 4: Identifying Commonly Eaten Mushrooms
Step 1. Look for mushrooms with medium tan or brown hoods for porcini mushrooms (baby pig mushrooms)
You can find porcini mushrooms near spruce, fir, and pine trees. Porcini mushrooms are usually ready to be harvested in early autumn in low elevation areas and in summer in higher elevation areas. Stems near ground level tend to be round and thick, and taper upwards near the hood.
Step 2. Look for a small hooded mushroom with a hollow in the center to find chanterelle mushrooms
Chanterelle mushrooms are yellow or golden yellow with wavy edges to the top. The trunk is shaped like a trumpet, and fat near the hood. Chanterelles are often found under hardwood trees and conifers in fall or early spring.
Step 3. Look for a mushroom with a white or pale brown hood in the shape of a ball to find a giant puffball
Watch out for the unique spikes on the top of the hood, which can easily be lost by hand. Ball mushrooms usually grow along trails and forest edges in autumn and winter.
Cut the mushroom balls in half to make sure they are still edible. If you want to eat mushroom balls, look for ones that are pure white inside. However, if it is yellow or brown in color, this means the mushrooms are already malodorous and unfit for consumption
Step 4. Look for a tall, pillar-shaped hooded mushroom with a scaly shingle to find the chicken thigh mushroom (Coprinus comatus)
Look for mushrooms that have blade-like lamellae that hang tightly on a hollow stem. This fungus grows well in urban areas with cool and wet air.
Do not pick chicken thigh mushrooms that grow near busy roads, as there is a risk of contamination from vehicle exhaust fumes
Part 3 of 4: Increasing Knowledge About Edible Mushrooms
Step 1. Join a local mycology lover's group
Search for mycology groups in your area online. If you live in America, look for information about the North American Mycological Association. Groups like this promote mushroom studies, and many open classes or hold meetings to help educate the public.
Many also organize hikes or other field activities for those who want to learn more about mushroom hunting
Step 2. Purchase a mushroom identification guide in your area
Visit your local bookstore or online retailer to purchase a mushroom identification guide in your area. You can take the book with you when you're hunting for mushrooms to practice identifying the different mushrooms. This book can also help you become more familiar with the commonly eaten and poisonous varieties of mushrooms.
Step 3. Check if your local university has mycology classes open
Try asking the admissions officer at your local university about the possibility of taking a mycology class as a listener only. You can improve your mushroom identification skills further and learn more about edible mushroom varieties.
If your local university doesn't offer classes for you to study as a listener, try asking a mycology group if they can recommend classes to take or research resources to read
Part 4 of 4: Seeking Medical Help After Eating Unknown Mushrooms
Step 1. Watch for symptoms of indigestion within 1-24 hours
Seek medical help immediately if you have diarrhea, vomiting, blood in the vomit or stool, or stomach cramps after eating an unknown mushroom. Your local emergency department can replace your lost fluids and treat whatever level of mushroom poisoning is causing your symptoms.
- In some cases, digestive symptoms can develop into impaired kidney function if not treated immediately.
- Even if you feel embarrassed about eating a mushroom that may be poisonous, don't be shy about seeking medical help. Doctors only care about your health.
Step 2. Watch for excessive drooling, tears, milk, or sweat
Call emergency services immediately if you notice an autonomic nervous system response, such as excessive and uncontrolled sweating or tears. These symptoms can occur as early as 15-30 minutes after consuming potentially harmful mushrooms. Act quickly, as these symptoms can progress to visual disturbances, a drop in blood pressure, or difficulty breathing.
- Because symptoms in the autonomic nervous system have the potential to escalate rapidly, it's best to call for help instead of trying to drive yourself to the ER.
- In the ER, doctors can prescribe Atropine, which is an antidote to most of these symptoms. In general, the patient will recover completely within 24 hours, but respiratory failure is possible if left untreated.
Step 3. Don't take any visual disturbances, delusions, or excessive drowsiness for granted
Seek emergency health care immediately if you experience central nervous system disorders, such as drowsiness or hallucinations. Consuming certain mushrooms can cause fatal central nervous system reactions, such as convulsions or even coma.
- The medical team can provide supportive care for anxiety disorders and fluid loss or whatever.
- Usually these symptoms will go away on their own without causing permanent damage.
Step 4. Stay alert if symptoms persist after receiving medical treatment
Recognize troubling symptoms, either mental or physical, that reappear after you appear to be "healed" from your yeast problem. Certain lethal fungi, such as those from the Amanita mushroom family, can cause patients to appear to improve over a 24-hour period before relapse and organ failure.
- If you believe you have consumed any type of Amanita mushroom, do not wait for symptoms to appear. Immediately seek emergency medical services. Tell the staff what kind of Amanita mushrooms you have eaten, how much you have ingested, and how long it has been since eating them.
- If you still have any leftover pieces of mushrooms, give them to them for analysis.
Warning
- Never eat any mushrooms based solely on information you get online, including this article. Even if the information is obtained from a trusted source, there is a possibility of user error in identifying the fungus that needs to be considered.
- Consuming potentially toxic mushrooms can lead to fatal consequences, such as illness, organ failure, or even death. You should only eat edible mushrooms from your local grocery store.
