Toxic Mushroom Contamination of Wild Mushrooms in Commercial Distribution

Abstract

Poisonings caused by ingestion of toxic, wild-picked morel mushrooms have been reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Problems occur when collectors of wild mushrooms inadvertently include toxic look-alike species with the edible wild species offered for sale. A 2-year survey conducted by the FDA showed 21% of the morel and 15% of the wild mixed mushrooms were contaminated with toxic look-alike species. These contaminants contain toxins that produce symptoms ranging from dizziness and gastrointestinal distress to liver and heart damage. Present regulatory controls include FDA Import Alerts for morels contaminated with Gyromitra esculenta and Verpa bohemica, a Michigan state regulation requiring licensing of harvesters of wild mushrooms, and an Illinois state regulation prohibiting the sale of wild-picked mushrooms through retail outlets. American consumers, unable to distinguish between edible and toxic look-alike wild mushrooms, may face illness and possibly death from products purchased on the normally well-regulated U.S. consumer market.

Mushroom Poisoning Cases from an Emergency Department in Central Anatolia: Comparison and Evaluation of Wild and Cultivated Mushroom Poisoning

“…Various domestic studies (6,7) and a report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (5) show that cultivated mushrooms represent 5-7% of MP cases; which is an important finding when cultivated mushrooms are accepted as 'safe' by the general population. We report a very high rate (n=57, 33.9%) of cultivated MP in our study.…”

“…As such, the incidence of MP is also unclear in Turkey (3). Another important point is that, although MP due to the foraging of mushrooms is much more frequent, commercially obtained mushrooms have been shown to cause poisonings in up to 5-7% of cases (5)(6)(7).…”

Warning on False or True Morels and Button Mushrooms with Potential Toxicity Linked to Hydrazinic Toxins: An Update

“…For the FDA, Gyromitra spp., Helvella spp., and V. bohemica are lumped together as toxic false morels [ 64 ]. USA regulatory controls include FDA Import Alerts for true morels coming from France since they were known to be possibly mixed with Gyromitra esculenta and Verpa bohemica.…”

“…In case of non-compliance of the shipment, this results in refusal of admission of dried and canned morels as US import and failure to obtain custom clearance for firms quoted on a red list [ 65 ]. In the past, the toxin(s) responsible of V. bohemica poisoning was thought to be gyromitrin [ 64 ]. This is quite possible for two reasons: (i) similar gastrointestinal symptoms are observed, at low dosage, during Gyromitra spp.…”

Mushroom Poisoning Cases From an Emergency Department in Central Anatolia: Comparison and Evaluation of Wild and Cultivated Mushroom Poisoning

“…Various domestic studies [6,7] and a report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations [5] show that cultivated mushrooms represent 5-7% of MP cases; which is an important finding when cultivated mushrooms are accepted as 'safe' by the general population. We report a very high rate (n=57, 33.9%) of cultivated mushroom poisoning in our study.…”