Mushroom season started Around 100 species can damage your health

"Mushroom season" starts: Around 100 types of fungi are harmful to health
In Germany, the mushroom season has begun. Many Germans love to wander through meadows and forests starting in September, bringing delicious mushrooms home with them. Experts repeatedly warn against carelessness. According to Health Minister Huml, there are 100 potentially harmful fungus species in Bavaria alone.

Tasty edible mushrooms with dangerous doppelgängers
At the start of the "mushroom season" (mushroom season), Bavaria's health minister Melanie Huml (CSU) warned against carelessness when collecting mushrooms. "There are around 100 types of fungi in Bavaria that are considered harmful to health. Up to eight species are even classified as lethally toxic. In order to avoid dangerous poisoning, mushroom pickers should only eat mushrooms known to them, "said the politician in a press release. She also said: "It is not always easy for experienced collectors to distinguish tasty edible mushrooms from unlikely doppelgangers. A comparison with pictures in a mushroom guide does not help any further. If you are unsure, you should seek advice from an expert. "

Only those who really know should seek mushrooms in the forest. Otherwise, severe poisoning threatens, which can even lead to death. Picture: Kzenon - fotolia

In case of doubt experts ask for advice
Such experts can be found on the Internet, among others. For example, the German Society for Mycology (DGfM) has published a list of experts on its homepage in Berlin, most of which work free of charge or for a small fee. To be on the safe side, you can also fall back on self-bred mushrooms from your own garden. Although this is not widespread in this country, but different edible mushrooms can be quite cultivate in the garden.

Act fast on suspicion of mushroom poisoning
Symptoms of diarrhea, nausea and vomiting or acute abdominal pain are suspected after eating a mushroom meal. Mushroom poisoning is suspected. Then the emergency doctor (112) should be called immediately or the poison emergency call of the state concerned should be contacted. Doctors are warned against taking medications on their own. Those affected should drink plenty of water and ideally take mushroom leftovers for medical treatment. Minister Huml, who herself is a doctor, also said: "Shortness of breath, dizziness or sweating can also be evidence of a fungus poisoning. Even after six to eight hours, in rare cases even after a week, gastrointestinal complaints may point to poisoning. However, such complaints may also be a fungus tolerance or food poisoning. That should be clarified in any case. "

Concern for radioactive contamination of wild mushrooms
The potential for high levels of radioactive contamination in wild mushrooms also worries many collectors. Soils have also been burdened in this country since the Chernobyl disaster. On April 26, 1986, after a meltdown in the nuclear power plant in Ukraine, large quantities of radioactive material were released into the environment. The contamination reached to Germany. It is said that the measurement results in the Bavarian soils are very different. The Nutrition Society generally recommends restricting the consumption of wild mushrooms to 250 grams per week. Mushrooms can also contain heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium. (Ad)