The doctor warned about the danger of mushrooms after an abnormal heat wave

Abnormal heat can affect the safety of even well-known edible mushrooms, as high temperatures change their chemical composition and increase the risk of accumulation of harmful substances. Ekaterina Demyanovskaya, an expert doctor at the Hemotest Laboratory, told Izvestia about this on July 24.

According to the expert, many people believe that it is enough to learn how to distinguish edible mushrooms from poisonous ones, but in hot and arid weather this may not be enough. Changes in environmental conditions can affect the properties of fruit bodies and make a familiar product less safe.

During the period of drought, the soil waters go deeper, and the concentration of mineral salts in the upper layers of the earth increases. The mycelium continues to absorb moisture from the soil, but with it it can receive more foreign substances.

"First of all, we are talking about salts of heavy metals — cadmium, lead, mercury. In normal rainy conditions, these substances are gradually washed out and do not reach critical values. In the heat, they can linger and accumulate in the fruit bodies," Demyanovskaya explained.

However, conventional mushroom processing does not always help eliminate such compounds. Soaking and boiling are not able to completely remove heavy metals if they have already accumulated in the product structure.

Another consequence of the heat may be a change in the composition of mushrooms. According to the doctor, in conditions of high temperatures, compounds that are normally present in small quantities can form more actively inside the fruit bodies. They can irritate the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, causing discomfort, weakness and a feeling of heaviness.

Pests become an additional risk factor. Due to the lack of moisture, the flesh of the mushrooms loses its density, becomes more friable and is more easily affected by insect larvae. This reduces the quality of the product and accelerates the decomposition processes, including due to the proliferation of putrefactive bacteria.

"Even if such mushrooms are thoroughly cleaned, changes in the structure of the pulp make it difficult to digest, creating an excessive load on the gastrointestinal tract and liver," the expert warned.

The symptoms after eating such mushrooms may resemble a common eating disorder. Most often, abdominal pain or discomfort, nausea, weakness, fatigue and dizziness appear a few hours after eating.

In more severe cases, with the accumulation of toxins or heavy metals, as well as after consuming large amounts of mushrooms, visual disturbances, severe weakness and confusion may occur.

"Symptoms can vary depending on the type and amount of accumulated substances, as well as the individual characteristics of the body," Demyanovskaya said.

At the same time, the heat itself does not make the edible mushroom poisonous. However, it can change its chemical composition and affect how the body reacts to the product. The same type of mushroom collected after a rainy period and after a prolonged drought may differ in the content of various substances.

The doctor recommended that you carefully consider your condition after eating mushrooms, especially those harvested during extreme heat and drought. If you experience suspicious symptoms, you should seek medical help in a timely manner.

Mushroom expert Dmitry Tikhomirov said on June 1 that champignons, honey mushrooms and porcini mushrooms began to be harvested in the Moscow region and other regions. In particular, champignons are already being found near Domodedovo, and wild mushrooms, according to him, are more fragrant than store-bought ones, and they are difficult to confuse with poisonous ones. He noted that the super fungal season in the Moscow region started due to sudden temperature changes.