Watchdog warns on mushroom harvest

ALTHOUGH the hot, dry summer has held back this year’s mushrooms, health watchdogs have warned collectors to beware poisonous species as each year sees about 1,000 people being affected.

The Institut de Veille Sanitaire says pickers should leave well alone if they have any doubts about the species they are picking as most cases of poisoning are due to mistaken identification.

It also warns to be sure they are clean: moisture is in short supply during a heatwave and insects seek out moist mushrooms to lay their larvae. Just as importantly, sites where there is likely to be pollution – such as from traffic or pesticides - should be avoided.

As the first rains arrived mid-August some mushrooms are pushing through now and some are easily mistaken – especially the white amanites phalloïdes, which looks very palatable and is responsible for many people being poisoned each year. In English it is known as the Death cap.

Beware amanites phalloïdes - toxic! pic.twitter.com/SHbmzSmLGM— Ken Seaton (@apriliaken) August 18, 2015

Last summer there were 240 people acutely poisoned in France – a large increase from the 95 cases in 2013 and the INVS wants to avoid a similar rise this year.

For amateur pickers the problem is that many edible varieties are very similar to toxic ones: there are different kinds of bolets, with the bolet de Satan being deadly and the bolet à chapeau laqué liable to give a very sore stomach while the bolet à pied rouge is good eating.

The dangerous deep yellow or orange pleurote de l’olivier can easily be mistaken for the tasty chanterelle or girolle but the pleurote de l’olivier is toxic and can lead to severe intestinal, nervous or cardiac disorders.

You can contact a pharmacist to get mushrooms identified as all are trained to do so.

Always wash your hands after picking and anyone who suffers stomach upset, diarrhoea or vomiting, vision problems, vertigo or palpitations should call 115 or 15 for help or contact an antipoison centre from the list at www.centres-antipoison.net

If possible, note down the time of the meal and collect any of the foods used, including the vomit if possible to help identify the poison.

Note too, that picking mushrooms is not a right: the land generally belongs to someone and, although picking at moderate level is generally tolerated, there are rules.

* Some species may be protected at local or national level and must be left alone
* Local rules can set limits on how much can be picked
* No digging is allowed, mushrooms can only be picked with the hands and a knife
* Do not clean out the site but do leave it clean with no litter
Photo of Pleurote de l’olivier and chanterelle - Antonio Abbatiello and Charles de Mille-Isles