HEALTH authorities are warning about the dangers of poisonous mushrooms, including death cap mushrooms and yellow-staining mushrooms, which occur in Victoria during autumn as the weather becomes wetter and cooler.
Victoria's acting chief health officer, Dr Evelyn Wong, said that anyone who collects and consumes wild mushrooms of unknown species is putting themselves at risk of potential poisoning and serious illness, and that consuming a death cap mushroom may result in death.
In an alert notice issued this week, Dr Wong said that unless you are an expert, do not pick and eat wild mushrooms in Victoria.
"Children should not touch wild mushrooms with their bare hands and animals should be kept away from them," the advice notice reads.
"Pets can develop a range of illnesses from eating wild mushrooms, including gastroenteritis-type syndrome to severe life-threatening disease and death.
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"Dogs are more likely than cats to ingest mushrooms.
"Remove any mushrooms from your garden before pets have a chance to eat them...wear gloves and carefully place in a bag and dispose of them in a closed rubbish bin."
Mushrooms purchased from a supermarket, greengrocer or other reputable source are safe to eat, the notice reads.
Dr Wong said there is no home test available to distinguish safe and edible mushrooms from poisonous mushrooms, and cooking, peeling or drying poisonous mushrooms does not remove or inactivate the poison.
Death cap mushrooms
Death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides) are extremely poisonous and consuming just one mushroom can kill an adult.
Symptoms of poisoning by death cap mushrooms can include violent stomach pains, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Even if initial symptoms subside serious liver damage may have occurred that may result in death.
These mushrooms grow under oak trees and the caps are 40-160 mm in diameter.
The cap ranges in colour from pale yellow-green to olive brown and the ridges on the underside of the cap are white.
The base of the stem has a membrane ‘cup’.
Yellow-staining mushrooms
The yellow-staining mushroom (Agaricus xanthodermus) is the cause of most poisonings due to ingestion of wild fungi in Victoria.
Consuming yellow-staining mushrooms causes nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhoea and vomiting.
The severity of symptoms varies with the amount eaten.
This mushroom looks very similar to regular purchased mushrooms or ‘cultivated mushrooms’ (Agaricus bisporus) and to edible wild mushrooms such as the field mushroom (Agaricus campestris).
In urban areas the yellow-staining mushroom is unfortunately much more common than edible mushrooms.
It can grow in large troops in lawns and gardens.
Emergency help
People should urgently attend an emergency department if they believe they’ve eaten a poisonous mushroom.
They should also take any remaining mushrooms with them for identification.
In most cases, the sooner treatment can begin, the better the outcome...do not wait for symptoms to occur before seeking medical attention.
Contact the Victorian Poisons Information Centre immediately on 13 11 26 (24 hours a day, seven days a week, Australia wide).
Keep and photograph a sample of the mushroom that was consumed to share with the Victorian Poisons Information Centre for expert identification of the mushroom.
