California Health Officials Warn Against Wild Mushroom Foraging Followingโ Poisoning Cases
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) โ – California health officials are urgently advising residents to avoid foraging โฃfor wild mushrooms,following a recent outbreak of poisonings across theโค state. Cases have beenโค reported in central California’s Monterey County and the Sanโข Francisco Bay Area, prompting warnings that the risk extends statewide. The surge in illnesses is linked to the growth of highly toxic mushrooms,including the death โคcap and โข”destroying angel”โข varieties,fueledโค by recent wet weather.
The danger lies in the difficultyโ of distinguishing betweenโ edible andโ poisonous mushrooms, as toxic varietiesโ can closelyโ resemble safe ones in appearance and even taste. Experts emphasizeโ that colorโ is not โขa reliableโข indicator โof toxicity, and cooking does not eliminate the risk. โฃ Nationwide, America’sโ Poison Centers logged over 4,500 cases of โฃmushroom exposure โขin 2023, with roughly halfโ involving young children. While initial symptoms like stomach cramping and nausea may subside, officialsโ caution โคthat serious complications, such as liver damage, can develop later.
California’s poison control system typically handles hundreds of wild mushroom poisoning casesโค annually.โ Symptoms typically appear within 24 hours of ingestion. Anyone suspecting mushroom poisoning is urged to contact the poison control hotline atโข 1-800-222-1222.Health officialsโฃ stressโฃ that even advancement in initial โขgastrointestinal symptomsโข doesโค not guarantee aโ patient is out of danger andโฃ medical attention should be sought promptly.
