How Not to Get Poisoned

It came to my attention that about year ago there was serious mushroom poisoning in Canada (see Fulminant hepatic failure following ingestion of wild mushrooms) ending with liver transplant.

I am sure that it is quite easy to avoid any possible poisoning just following some simple rules and common sense.

  • If you are not 100% sure what you are collecting DO NOT EAT IT!


This simple rule is applicable to everybody, from total ignoramuses and novices to the highest field experts. Simple: IF IN DOUBT THROW IT OUT!!

Now, after reading through several field guides, watching numerous Youtube videos and leafing through hundreds of mushroom images on the Internet you feel ready to go out there and pick some mushrooms. Do not do it.




  • learn from experienced person and in the woods; never do identifications on the basis of images only


After you gain some experience and confidently can recognize a handful of edibles and some poisonous mushrooms

  • stay away from several Genera: Tricholoma, Cortinarius and especially Amanita


These Genera contain some of the worst offenders and Amanitas have some real bad boys in the family. To totally avoid Amanitas

  • do not pick any mushroom that grows out of volva (sack-like structure at the bottom of the stem)


[caption id="attachment_2478" align="alignnone" width="663"] Typical Amanita Mushroom[/caption]

To be sure, dig into the leafs and dirt and check the very base of the stem.  This way you will avoid Amanita bisporigera (Destroying Angel), the mushroom involved in the Canadian poisoning I mentioned in the beginning.

As far as I know there is only one species of mushroom edible and resembling Destroying Angel - Smooth Parasol (Leucoagaricus naucina). If you are really keen to consume this particular white mushroom, observe the following:

  • grows mainly in coniferous woods

  • bulbous end of the stem is covered with dirt and mycelium (Destroying Angel is clean)

  • ring is small and persistent (Destroying Angel has a floppy ring that frequently disappears)

  • cap can be removed from the stem easily, without tearing flash - ball and socket effect (Destroying Angel tears)


[caption id="attachment_3063" align="alignnone" width="663"]dscn6518 Smooth Parasol with dirty bulb and "ball and socket"effect between cap and stem[/caption]

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