Identical Mushrooms can be Tasty But Toxic

Names of food I would love to have a taste but I am scared of toxin: Mushrooms!! Yes, I mean mushrooms. I have heard people say how delicious mushrooms are, and some people even profess their undying love for the fungi like they are reciting their marriage vows but you see for me, I do not have anything to say about mushrooms that the fact that people eat it and it can be poisonous when the wrong one is eaten.

Talking about eating the wrong one, mushrooms can resemble one another and if a person consumes the similarly poisoned one, then the person might find themselves in an ambulance being rushed to the emergency room. It's funny how you can see two mushrooms that look really alike only to find out that one is free to consume while the other is the immediate toxic relative.

^wikimedia

Let's start by discussing he first toxic one which is False Morel (Gyromitra esculenta) that is closely related to its innocent relative the Morel (Morchella esculenta) which a lot of people love Morels and the compare its taste to steak and these mushrooms are served in restaurants but the false morel is another similar mushroom that you might have consumed before knowing that you didn't consume the non harmful morel. I guess scientist also made a mistake giving its specie name esculenta which means edible whereas it is toxic when consumed.

A quick relief on false morel is that its toxicity is dependent on the amount consumed. Scientists say that an average adult will require to eat 1kg of this mushroom to be in the lethal range. While both the Morel and the False Morel look identical, one way to identify them separately is to look at the stem of the mushrooms as the stem of Morel is hollow while the stem of False Morel is solid with no hollow in it.

^lookandlearn

False morel when eating up to 1kg means that a person has consumed a large of the toxin Gyromitrin which is converted by the body into monomethylhydrazine which is found in fuels for rockets, and asides from that, it interferes with the enzymes that produce vitamin B6 which is responsible for the making of GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid). Exposure to this toxin can lead to the over-excitement of the brain neurons which can lead to seizures, kidney damage, and liver damage.

So when next you are looking for a mushroom to put int that pot of soup of yours, be careful not to put a False morel into your pot thinking you are putting a true Morel there. Well, I just hope that doesn't happen because it could land you at the emergency unit and people have died from this toxin. Boiling or drying the mushroom can remove the toxin and in-case you get to the hospital fast enough, then you can be saved if your symptoms are quickly identified and vitamin B6 is introduced IV.

That said, let me talk about another mushroom which is toxic and while its name look cool, its effect isn't. Fly Agaric (Amanita Muscaria). If I were asked to picture a mushroom, I will picture the fly Agaric as one of the mushrooms I know because of google image and Mario games, it lives free in my head. This mushroom is toxic and should be avoided but when it rains and its white spots are washed off, they can resemble the Ceaser's Mushroom which is non-toxic.

^Picryl

As little as 5 of the Fly Agaric can be lethal as it contains a mix of toxins including Muscarine, Ibotenic acid, and Muscimol which are known as alkaloids that interacts with the brain causing the brain to act like there is too much GABA being produced leading to dizziness, disorientation, and distortion of time and space. If not treated early enough, it can lead to Coma or death. For treatment, pumping of the stomach and giving of activated charcoal will help soak up toxic before they get to the brain.

While some mushrooms can be toxic when consumed, touching some can be very toxic. An example of such mushroom is the Podostroma cornu-damae which is a mushroom that looks attractive to the eyes but that attraction ends there. My personal advise is that you shouldn't touch it because it's toxin can be absorbed by the skin directly which means they are extremely toxic when they get into the body where 1 gram is enough to be lethal. As a mushroom lover, it is easy to mistake Podostroma cornu-damae for Ganoderma lucidum which is a health food.

^Wikimedia

Podostroma Cornu-damae releases the toxin Trichothecenes which prevents the body from producing proteins and DNA which are fundamental functions of the cells in the body so we are able to see the next minute. Consuming the mushroom can also lead to Lamellar Desquamation where the skin starts to fall off as more and more cells starts to stop working. This can also lead to organ failure if not quickly treated.

Like I said at the beginning, the fear of consuming something toxic is one reason why I do not consume mushrooms. My friends always try to talk me into eating the delicious fungi but my fear won't allow me. Well, if you are a mushroom lover, you do not need to stop eating it, all you need to do is to be careful so you do not consume a toxic lookalike thinking you are having the edible one.

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^Reference

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