– There is a particularly high number of poisonous toadstools this year, says mushroom inspector Ole Johnny Asmyhr when news joins him on a mushroom trip. The poisonous mushroom is often mistaken for chanterelle, he says. – They are often in the same place, and then it is easy to get a piece of the highly toxic mushroom. We call the upper part of the mushroom the cap, and the lower part we call the stem. The underside of the cap is very important to see what kind of mushroom you have in your hand. The mushrooms we learn about here either have slices, tubes, spikes or ribs on the underside. And to make it super easy and extra safe, the first rule is not to bring home any mushrooms with slices on the underside. The poison veil mushroom has discs similar to knife blades or the pages of a book, as the discs lie neatly next to each other. Ribs, which the funnel chanterelle has, look more like the sheets have been folded, and lie folded next to each other. More cases – We had no cases of this last year, but more this year, says section manager at the emergency department at Sørlandet Hospital, Anne Catrine Nyberg. A handful of people have been treated at Sørlandet Hospital in Kristiansand after consuming poisonous mushrooms in recent weeks. It has been many years since the hospital has experienced something similar. They do not want to state how many have been poisoned, but say it is a handful of people. Also at Ahus, Akershus University Hospital, they have had admissions where they suspect mushroom poisoning. Mushroom expert Mette Alstad has made this video about one of Norway’s most poisonous mushrooms for her Instagram account @mettesanker. Many checks The Norwegian Mushroom and Useful Plant Association, with headquarters in Oslo, has since 1 July checked over 52,000 mushrooms in the Mushroom Control app. – We are experiencing that more and more people are visiting mushroom control and getting their mushrooms checked. The associations are organizing more and more mushroom controls, says market and trade consultant Live K. Torvund. Although they recommend bringing the mushrooms for a physical check, they also have a separate app, where you can upload pictures of mushrooms. These are checked by experts. Mushroom inspector Magnhild Larsen is, for example, one of those who can meet you if you go for a physical inspection in Kristiansand. – Never eat something you are not 100 percent sure of. Be it mushrooms, or be it green, she says. Never eat anything you are not sure of, says mushroom inspector Magnhild Larsen. Photo: Anne Skifjleld / news Can cause lifelong problems Eating poisonous mushrooms can damage the liver and kidneys. It is important to take symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea after eating mushrooms seriously, warns the hospital. – Ingestion of even very small amounts of poisonous mushrooms can result in lifelong health problems. That’s what Thor Kristian Støle, head of the medical department at Sørlandet Hospital Kristiansand, says. Nyberg at the hospital says there is not much you can do if you get the fungus. – Other than trying to empty the stomach and possibly giving charcoal, so it is very important to avoid ingesting it. Published 14.09.2024, at 08.46
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– Not much we can do – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
