Warning about rotten chanterelles

Chanterelles in many discounters not suitable for consumption

16/08/2011

Chanterelles are currently on the menu as seasonal dishes in many restaurants and are available in the supermarket or at weekly markets. But the supposedly fresh mushrooms are often no longer enjoyable, so that result of a recent investigation of the NDR consumer magazine „market“.

In the investigation of the chanterelles have the testers of the consumer magazine „market“ seven out of eight samples as „hazardous to health“ and therefore „not marketable“ classified. In view of the frightening results, experts such as Georg Müller of the German Society of Mycology urgently called for an improvement of the controls, as the spoiled fungi can pose considerable health risks.

Seven out of eight chanterelle samples hazardous to health
The NDR consumer magazine examined chanterelles from eight different discounters in northern Germany, classifying seven out of eight samples as inedible. In the past year, seventy percent of the samples were reported as being „not suitable for consumption“ assessed. The latest figures show that the situation has worsened even further, reports the consumer magazine. For the expert of the German Society of Mycology, Georg Müller, a scandal. The expert analyzed on behalf of the NDR the chanterelles samples of discounters and found that the mushrooms offered by Real, Famila, Sky, Toom, Aldi, Penny and Netto „hazardous to health“ and „not marketable“ were. In two samples, the goods were even 100 percent spoiled, reports „market“. Only the chanterelles of Edeka have not completely failed in the current investigation. Although numerous fungi were rotten here too, Müller as a whole rated the sample as „conditionally marketable“ on.

Serious health problems caused by rotten pilze
For the expert, the result of the current study is particularly worrying because the fungi are clearly considered to be „hazardous to health“ to be judged. During his 30 years of activity, he has not experienced a comparably bad result so far, Müller emphasized. Here improved controls are urgently needed to avoid health hazards to consumers. For these would often not notice when eating the chanterelles that the mushrooms were spoiled. This could „become highly dangerous“, added Dr. Andreas Schaper from the Poison Information Center North in Göttingen opposite the NDR consumer magazine. With extremely spoiled chanterelles, there is the possibility that the bacteria on the mushrooms produce a poison that can cause significant health problems. As a result of consumption, severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting may occur, the expert warned. At worst, such fungal poisoning can also be fatal, stressed Schaper. Since the discounters had already praised improvement and promised stricter controls in the past year after an appropriate investigation, but these appeared to have no effect, the experts now also see the legislature in the duty to improve the monitoring of mushrooms offered to consumers.

Consumers should look closely at the mushroom purchase
Because chanterelles are relatively perishable due to their high moisture content and it is likely that it will take some time to improve their controls, experts advise consumers to pay attention to a few key details when buying mushrooms. The chanterelles should by no means be greasy or damp, but rather dry and undamaged. If the ends of the stems dry out, this is an indication that the mushrooms are already stored longer. With damaged hats and glued lamellae, caution is advised, according to the experts. If mold is visible to the naked eye, the consumption should be avoided. For film-protected chanterelles consumers should also look closely, as can accumulate moisture under the protective film, causing the fungi spoil very quickly. Overall, consumers in the supermarkets are likely to look for just as long chanterelle as long as it would cost a trip to mushroom picking in nature. (Fp)

Read about mushrooms:
Naturopathy: mushrooms as medicine
Nausea after eating mushrooms seriously
70 percent of the chanterelles hazardous to health

Image: Gabi Schoenemann