When mushrooms thrive and grow, mushroom pickers also head out to the forest. This can be an explanation for why the Poison Information Centre has already received many calls.
Often, September and October are the months when we get many questions about mushrooms, says Peter Hultén.
This year, there are already several confirmed cases where people have eaten the death cap mushroom, or false morel mushroom. Among the symptoms are severe diarrhea, stomach pains, and vomiting, which often occur half a day after eating the mushroom.
No fatalities
The Poison Information Centre is not aware of any fatalities this year.
But there have been potentially serious cases where people have ingested so much after a meal that it could have been life-threatening, says Peter Hultén.
The death cap and false morel mushrooms can easily be mistaken for, among other things, champignons.
Another dangerous mushroom is the conical webcap, which can be mistaken for funnel chanterelles.
They are not alike, but grow in the same environment. You can accidentally pick conical webcap if you pick carelessly, says Peter Hultén.
Check when you clean!
A good rule is to take one mushroom at a time. Look at each mushroom you pick, and at each mushroom when you clean!
You should also learn one mushroom species at a time.
It requires great knowledge of mushrooms before you can pick different species, emphasizes Peter Hultén.
Several of the recent poisonings have affected people with a foreign background.
They pick mushrooms that they think they recognize from back home. But here, it can be other, toxic species, says Peter Hultén.
Micke Larsson/TT
Facts: Pick safe mushrooms
TT
Take one species at a time when you learn to recognize different mushrooms
Pick one mushroom at a time, and look at each mushroom when you clean them
Avoid mushrooms with white gills on the underside of the cap! It can be death cap or false morel mushroom.
Avoid brown mushrooms with brown gills on the underside as well.
Only pick mushrooms you are sure you recognize. Never take a chance
If you suspect someone has ingested a toxic mushroom, call 112 and ask for advice from the Poison Information Centre
If you suspect your dog has ingested a toxic mushroom, contact a veterinarian
Those who want to learn more about mushrooms can take a mushroom course, or contact The Swedish Association of Mushroom Consultants.
Source: Poison Information Centre
