Victorians are being warned to stay away from wild mushrooms, with Easter downpours creating ideal conditions for poisonous fungi to flourish.
Mushrooms are sprouting up earlier and in much larger numbers than in previous years after a damp summer and soggy start to autumn.
Death cap mushrooms are the most dangerous species and are typically found near oak trees in both regional and metropolitan areas.
They have a large yellow-green or olive-brown cap and can cause stomach pains, vomiting, diarrhoea, organ failure and even death within 48 hours.
Yellow staining mushrooms are the most common cause of fungi poisoning in Victoria and look very similar to supermarket-bought field mushrooms.
They grow in lawns and gardens, and the severity of symptoms, once consumed, depends on how much of the mushroom is ingested.
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Deputy chief health officer Clare Looker said people should only eat commercially bought mushrooms from reputable sources like supermarkets, greengrocers and known producers.
“Unless you’re an expert, don’t rely on any home tests or apps,” Dr Looker told reporters on Wednesday.
“It’s really difficult to differentiate between poisonous and non-poisonous mushrooms and no amount of washing or drying or cooking removes that risk of poisoning.”
She asked pet owners to check their gardens for mushrooms as they can also pose serious risks for animals.
“Take them out of the ground wearing a pair of gloves, pop them in a plastic bag and put them in a closed bin and then just make sure you’re washing your hands afterwards,” Dr Looker said.
Mushroom lovers falling victim to poisonous picks were among 250 people who made mushroom-related calls to the state’s poison information centre last year and even more may have gone to hospital.
In 2020 Victoria had a spate of death cap poisonings, with eight people in hospital at one point. Five ended up in intensive care and one died.
In 2012, two people died after eating the deadly mushrooms at a New Year’s Eve party in Canberra and four others in the ACT were seriously poisoned two years later.
The death cap is often found in the Canberra area, as well as around Melbourne, Tasmania and Adelaide.
Anyone who suspects they have eaten a poisonous mushroom should seek help immediately and not wait for symptoms to appear, or call triple zero in an emergency.
