The nutritionist named the rules for the safe collection and consumption of mushrooms

The end of August and September are considered the peak of the mushroom season, but along with the growing interest in silent hunting, the number of poisoning cases is also increasing. Some types of mushrooms can lead to severe consequences for the liver and kidneys, and the first symptoms sometimes appear many hours after eating. Olesya Stupak, a nutritionist and medical expert at Invitro, told Izvestia on September 1 about the dangers of mushrooms and when it is necessary to consult a specialist.

According to her, the main danger of mushroom poisoning lies in their delayed manifestation. A person can eat a mushroom dish in the evening and feel normal, but the deterioration will appear only in the morning or the next day, when the toxins have already managed to enter the body and begin to affect the internal organs.

"You can get poisoned not only by poisonous mushrooms. The causes of intoxication may be errors in determining the species, improper preparation of conditionally edible mushrooms, and the use of old or overgrown specimens. Mushrooms collected near roads, industrial facilities and in polluted places pose a special danger. They are capable of accumulating heavy metals and other harmful substances from the environment," the expert said.

One of the most dangerous species is the pale grebe. Even one such mushroom, caught in a common basket or a ready-made dish, can lead to severe poisoning in several people. The first signs of mushroom intoxication include nausea, repeated vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, weakness, dizziness, increased sweating and headache.

At the same time, the time of onset of symptoms is an important guideline, Stupak added. If the deterioration begins 30 minutes or 2 hours after eating, it is more often associated with less dangerous types of poisoning, although it also requires a medical assessment. A more alarming sign is the appearance of symptoms after 6-12 hours and later after eating mushrooms. Such a delay may indicate liver damage caused by toxins, characteristic of poisoning with pale toadstool.

According to the doctor, the danger lies in the fact that after the first symptoms, a person sometimes gets better. However, this improvement may be temporary: toxins continue to affect the body, and after a while severe liver and kidney failure may develop.

It is necessary to seek medical help immediately in case of severe and persistent vomiting and diarrhea, signs of dehydration, confusion, seizures, visual impairment, yellowness of the skin and eyes, the appearance of blood in the vomit or stool, severe weakness, cardiac arrhythmia or difficulty breathing. Before the doctor arrives, it is important not to take dangerous actions. The victim can be given clean water in small sips to reduce the risk of dehydration, and also take enterosorbent according to the instructions.

However, it is not recommended to use medications that stop vomiting or diarrhea on your own. According to the expert, this is how the body tries to remove toxic substances and intervention without a doctor's appointment can worsen the situation.

The specialist also advised to save the remains of mushrooms, ready meals, or at least cleaning. This can help doctors identify the cause of poisoning faster and choose the necessary treatment.

According to Stupak, special attention should be paid to people from risk groups. Mushrooms are difficult to digest due to their chitin content, which is difficult for the body to digest. It is recommended to limit the use of mushrooms or give them up for people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, including gastritis, peptic ulcer, pancreatitis and liver diseases. Caution is also necessary for kidney diseases, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, in old age, as well as for gout and allergies to mushrooms.

Mushrooms are not recommended for young children. According to the doctor, the child's body does not yet have enough enzymes to fully digest them, and the consequences of poisoning in a child may develop faster due to a lower body weight. The specialist advised not to include wild mushrooms in the diet of children. If we are talking about store-bought champignons or oyster mushrooms, they can be administered carefully and only after consulting with a doctor, usually not before school age.

For a safe mushroom season, the expert recommended collecting only those species in which a person is completely confident. It is better to leave any doubtful mushroom in the forest. Also, you should not take old, wormy and damaged specimens, collect mushrooms near roads, industrial areas and landfills, buy them from random sellers or consume homemade canned food of unknown origin. After harvesting, the mushrooms must be processed as quickly as possible, thoroughly cooked and not tasted raw during harvesting.

According to Stupak, if the rules are followed, mushrooms can remain a safe product for healthy adults. However, at the first suspicion of poisoning, especially if symptoms appear a long time after eating, it is important not to wait for improvement and seek medical help in a timely manner.

Mycologist Maxim Dyakov reported on July 31 that mushroom poisoning usually begins with typical gastrointestinal symptoms - nausea, digestive disorders, fever and chills. The mycologist warned against using red fly agaric. According to him, despite its popularity, this mushroom has no useful properties. The expert stated that he usually does not pose a mortal danger unless he eats a very large amount.