Experts have warned about the deadly death cap mushroom after a fatal Victorian mushroom meal that killed three people. Another person is fighting for their life.
Police say that while testing may take several weeks, a meal cooked by Erin Patterson on July 29, 2008, led to the death of Gail and Don Patterson, as well as Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson.
As of now, police have not filed any charges and are treating these deaths as “unexplained” and, therefore, as non-suspicious. Erin also maintains her innocence.
This case has raised new concerns about death cap mushrooms, which can look like a white-field mushroom or a straw when they are young.
In 2011, the two deaths of Chinese migrant workers who died on New Year’s Day were also connected to them.
After consuming a meal that contained the death caps, two employees of the Harmonie German Club in Canberra, Tsou Hsiang and Chef Liu Jun, both died from liver damage. A man in his 30s, who was hospitalized and discharged later, also died of liver damage after ingesting a meal containing the death caps.
A friend of Mr Liu at the time told The Canberra Times that the chef picked up the death caps as he left work, mistaking them for straw mushrooms Volvariella volvacea, which are popular in Asian cooking.
Tom O’Dea stated, “Liu, Jun is a chef and he’s very into fresh food. That’s part the problem.”
You don’t think you’ll die in 48 hours if you make a mistake when eating that.
Toxicologist warns against foraging.
George Braitberg, director of emergency medicine research at the University of Melbourne and toxicologist, has issued a warning to Australians against foraging.
“Don’t forage for mushrooms,” he said.
“I’m sure all mushroom foragers will be furious at me if I say that, but this is my perspective.”
It’s tragic when a death occurs because it was avoidable. They were doing what they believed was right. They were only trying to find some mushrooms.”
According to Department of Health and Human Services Victoria figures, as of June 30, 19 people in the state have been admitted to the hospital due to mushroom poisonings.
The government department stated that the figures could be updated in the future.
In 2020, 65 people will be hospitalized. This number will drop to 35 by 2021.
Professor Braitberg stated that poisonings are most common in overseas travelers and immigrants who try to “translate” their knowledge into a new environment.
He said that people who have foraged in Europe and Asia would assume they can use the skills they learned overseas to find mushrooms here in Victoria.
Professor Braitberg said that it is important to remember that the toxins in mushrooms are also “heat-resistant” and cannot be removed through heat or cooking.
Death cap poisoning symptoms can often be seen within 24 hours of the mushroom being digested by the body, releasing the amotoxin. This toxin can attack the liver and cause multi-system failure in severe cases.
Professor Braitberg warned that symptoms can progress rapidly.
He said that there is no antidote for the poison. The potential recovery of the patient will depend on their health and fitness, as well as how much they consume.
The next step, if the disease progresses, is liver transplantation.
“Can’t Learn from the Internet”
Richard Ford, a Victorian forager, said that the appearance of death caps can also vary depending on the stage in which the mushroom is growing and the environment in which it’s found.
False Parasol Mushrooms are poisonous fungi that can be confused with edible parasol mushrooms. However, they are harvested for less.
Mr Ford stated that mushrooms vary depending on whether it is day or night and the amount of sunlight.
The gills under a death cap can look the same as those on a field mushrooms. I think this is where people are often tricked.
The cup-like base on the stem can identify a death cap mushroom. However, this may come loose once the mushroom has been pulled out of the ground.
Mr Ford says there’s no “script” for identifying poisonous mushrooms and edible varieties, as factors vary significantly by region.
If you want to learn properly, you need to meet someone face-to-face. He said that you cannot know from the internet or a photograph.
Many people call up the telephone and do a little research, thinking they can pick a variety of mushrooms.
“I have been doing this 35 years but I was very cautious at the beginning.”
In a media interview on Monday, after the deadly Leongatha lunch incident, Detective Inspector Dean Thomas warned people against eating wild mushrooms.
I ask the people in my community to consider whether they should eat mushrooms that they have found in farms or paddocks. He said, “Please think about whether or not you should eat these mushrooms.”
My suggestion is to stay away from them if you’ve never bought them at a supermarket.
