Be careful when collecting mushrooms Do not confuse the maize mushrooms with the toxic brick red cracked mushroom

May mushrooms are similar to the brick red crack mushroom
Fungus seekers can find what they are looking for already in the spring. The Maipilz or Mairitterling is a connoisseur's favorite mushroom. But caution is needed: Like many other mushrooms, he has a poisonous doppelganger. Mushroom poisoning can be dangerous.

Do not confuse May mushrooms with poisonous doppelgangers
Already in spring mushrooms, meadows, parks and forests can be found again. This was the focus of the national mushroom expert Oliver Duty in Rostock in a message from the dpa news agency. The Maipilz or Mairitterling is one of the best known spring mushrooms. However, it is easy to confuse with the poisonous brick red cracker fungus, which can already grow in May. The white or more rarely ocher-colored mushroom is reportedly up to 15 inches tall, is thick-fleshed, has a smooth hat and tightly spaced lamellae.

May mushrooms can be confused quickly. Prefer to contact an expert. (Image: goldbany / fotolia)

Brick red mushroom fungus can be dangerous
A poisoning with the reddish-torn mushroom leads to symptoms within a few minutes to two hours, which correspond to the so-called muscarine syndrome. Typical symptoms are visual disturbances due to narrowing of the pupils, tears and salivation, and excessive sweating. Also possible are complaints such as diarrhea, vomiting, gastrointestinal disturbances, tremors and headaches. In severe poisoning, the pulse slows down and the blood pressure drops, in some cases it comes to shortness of breath due to narrowing of the respiratory tract and feelings of anxiety. Weak poisonings usually resolve within a few hours without special therapy. Strong intoxications not only last longer, but can sometimes take on life-threatening forms.

Consult experts
If collectors are not one hundred percent sure that they have the right mushrooms in their basket, they can consult a mushroom consultant. The German Society for Mycology (DGfM) in Berlin has published on its homepage a list of experts who work mostly free or for a small fee. Basically, if it comes to the consumption of a mushroom meal to discomfort such as diarrhea, nausea and vomiting or acute abdominal pain, a fungal poisoning may be behind it. Then the emergency doctor (112) should be called immediately or the poison emergency call of the state concerned should be contacted. Health experts warn against taking medications on their own. Those affected should drink plenty of water and - if available - take mushroom leftovers for medical treatment. (Ad)