FOR all those who like to go foraging, be wary about munching that wild mushroom: autumn is providing the perfect growing conditions for toxic varieties.
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Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Dr Rosemary Lester has warned against gathering wild mushrooms in rural Victoria and from gardens due to the risk of being poisoned.
She said the two most dangerous varieties were the Death Cap fungus and the Yellow Staining mushroom.
The Death Cap is a large mushroom, with a cap ranging from light olive green to greenish yellow, while the Yellow Staining mushroom turns yellow when bruised by a thumbnail.
The warning comes as wild mushrooms pop up all over the state, thanks to the high amounts of rain and relatively warm soil.
Dr Lester said commercially-sold mushrooms were still safe and anyone who became ill after eating wild mushrooms should seek urgent medical advice.
The Death Cap is extremely toxic and responsible for 90 per cent of all mushroom poisoning deaths. It can be fatal within 48 hours.
“If you have any doubts about a species of fungus or mushroom, don’t eat it,” Dr Lester said.
