7 the most poisonous mushrooms in Lithuania – as soon as you taste them, a terrible death can occur

Researcher at the Mycology Laboratory of the Nature Research Center dr. Jonas Kasparavičius stated that there are no very clear boundaries between edible and inedible mushrooms and between poisonous and relatively poisonous mushrooms. The mycologist explained that recognizing fungi is not easy, and the effects of poisonous mushrooms can be very varied and depend on many factors.

It is not eaten for many reasons.

Dr. J. Kasparavičius stated that it is not possible to say exactly how many species of inedible mushrooms grow in Lithuania. He explained that this is because some species of mushrooms are considered edible in Lithuania, and in many western countries they are recognized as inedible. According to the mycologist, there are also relatively edible or relatively poisonous mushrooms, such as edible bobsleigh, which can only be consumed after proper treatment, that is, after several boiling or drying, and only after consumption for some time.

“In general, mushrooms are not edible due to their bitter or pungent taste, their hard or simply rough consistency, although it may be due to their very small size. Most of these mushrooms are known only to specialists and their nutritional value is such that it does not make much sense to consume them as food.

Of the approximately 1,500 species of cap mushrooms currently known in Lithuania, around 300 species of mushrooms are considered edible, although this does not mean that they are all collected and consumed by someone. Obviously, nobody eats everything else. They are not edible because nobody knows them, they do not seem very nutritious or they are small and difficult to detect. Some fungi are not eaten because they grow only underground and are rarely found on the surface of the soil, ”explained a scientist from the Mycology Laboratory of the Center for Natural Research.

The most poisonous – 7 mushrooms

The mycologist recalled that it was previously claimed that around 100 species of mushrooms could be eaten, but this is just a theory. The scientist said that if everyone now checked how many species of mushrooms Lithuanian mushrooms collect, the number would probably not reach even 30.

However, J. Kasparavičius pointed out that around 100 species of mushrooms that grow in Lithuania are poisonous, and of all the poisonous mushrooms that grow in Lithuania, only a little more than 20 of them can actually be very dangerous to human health or even for life.

“Always and everywhere, for the first time, only about 7 types of mushrooms are deadly dangerous. Of course, it should not be forgotten that even the best edible mushrooms, if improperly or accidentally prepared and improperly consumed or stored, can cause serious poisoning and, in exceptional cases, even cause death.

The most poisonous fungi that grow in Lithuania are the green mussel (Amanita phalloides), the grouse or white myrtle (Amanita virosa), the poisonous sediment (Cortinarius orellanus), the fir cone (Galerina marginata), the red-bellied beetle , the poisonous butterfly (Clitocybe dealbata) ”, dr. J. Kasparavičius.

How to recognize?

The scientist explained that you can tell whether a mushroom is edible or not just by recognizing it, because there are no specific signs for all edible mushrooms. They can come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, colors and, in some cases, tastes and smells. According to the mycologist, the specificity of the mushrooms says nothing about the edibility of many mushrooms: they turn blue, blackened, brown or yellow when damaged. J. Kasparavičius emphasized that the same could be said for poisonous mushrooms.

“Many of these fungi do not cause negative associations. In contrast, many people who are not familiar with mushrooms prefer to put a green musk in a pot than a bluish boletus. While the first is deadly poisonous and the second is edible, many do not because they are afraid or even disgusted.

In theory, it is possible to distinguish between edible and inedible or even poisonous mushrooms by smell, but only animals with a significantly better sense of smell than humans can. Until a so-called “electronic nose” is invented that is compact and sensitive enough, this method is not suitable for us humans, “said the mycologist.

Lunch can end in death

The doctor explained that the effects of poisonous mushrooms on humans can vary depending on the type of mushroom ingested, as different types of mushrooms produce slightly different levels of toxic substances and different amounts of them. According to him, the amounts of these substances in the fruiting bodies of the same species of fungi can also differ. The effect also depends on the amount of poisonous mushrooms consumed.

“Different people are also equally sensitive to mushroom poisons. Some bitter or pungent mushrooms, such as some acorns, thrushes, less poisonous mushrooms, or small amounts of more poisonous mushrooms, can only irritate the stomach and intestines, which can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, and in some cases, gastroenteritis soon or even later. of a meal. .

Consuming other really poisonous mushrooms that contain substances that affect the nervous system, such as some mussels, after a while, when the poison enters the bloodstream, nausea, dizziness, sometimes vomiting, diarrhea and other symptoms more familiar to doctors begin. . A person poisoned by such fungi often experiences hallucinations. If you eat a sufficient amount of the most poisonous mushrooms, which is individual for each person, and if you don’t see a doctor in time, you can die ”, explained the scientist.

Dr. J. Kasparavičius emphasized that after eating some signs of poisoning by poisonous mushrooms do not appear immediately after a meal, but only after a while, when the liver, kidneys and other organs are already damaged. He stressed that the longer the signs of intoxication do not appear, the more complicated the situation becomes, since over time the possibility of saving that person decreases.