California is issuing a serious warning to foragers this mushroom season. After a string of poisonings linked to death cap mushrooms, health officials are urging everyone to steer clear of picking wild mushrooms altogether. With one adult dead and others facing severe liver damage, including children, the stakes couldn’t be higher. These toxic fungi closely resemble edible varieties, making it easy to mistake one for the other.
Wet weather has created prime conditions for toxic mushrooms, especially in areas like Monterey County and the San Francisco Bay Area. This is a timely reminder that just because something looks good enough to eat doesn’t mean it is! In fact, California’s poison control centers see hundreds of wild mushroom poisoning cases every year, especially among young kids who might munch on mushrooms while playing outside.
As gut-wrenching symptoms can appear within 24 hours after ingestion, it’s crucial to treat any wild mushroom daring with extreme caution—gastrointestinal relief might only be temporary. For those who find themselves in a pickle due to mushroom mishaps, there’s always the poison control hotline ready to assist. With the right information, it’s best to keep your foraging baskets stored away this season and stick to safer options (ahem, the grocery store!).
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Andrew Johnson
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