How to Identify Edible and Inedible Mushrooms (+33 photos)

At the start of each mushroom season, the number of enthusiasts of "silent hunting" grows. It's an exciting activity, but in some cases, risky. There's always a chance of error. Even with sufficient experience, it's not always possible to determine with 100% certainty whether a mushroom found in the forest is edible or not.

General guidelines for determining the edibility of mushrooms

When collecting and sorting, extreme care must be taken. The following important points must be considered:

1. It's the lamellar mushrooms that pose a mortal danger to humans. Some lamellar mushrooms are edible, such as russula and champignons. However, most edible species have a tubular structure on the underside of the cap. Some tubular mushrooms are poisonous, but they are less dangerous. Therefore, it's always important to check under the cap.

   

   

   

   

   

   

2. Toadstools and fly agarics have a thickening at the base of the stem and a ring closer to the cap. These signs can help you avoid a dangerous find.

   

   

   

   

   

   

3. There's a specific caveat regarding honey mushrooms. Unlike their "imitators," they're not found in coniferous forests. Furthermore, edible honey mushrooms have a skirt on their stems.

   

   

   

   

   

   

4. It's important to pay attention to both the outer color of the mushroom you find and the color of its interior when broken. In the former case, there may be no significant difference. In the latter, a genuine mushroom will generally remain unchanged, while false and inedible mushrooms will change color. For example, a porcini mushroom turns blue when broken, unlike the porcini it "imitates," and a yellowing button mushroom naturally turns yellow compared to a regular one.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   But edible mushrooms like the oak boletus (common and speckled), the royal mushroom, and the bruise turn blue, while the hornbeam mushroom turns purple-pink and then darkens. So, you need to be especially vigilant in this regard.

5. An additional, and often very convincing, argument for or against certain mushrooms is their smell. Edible specimens have a pleasant or neutral odor. Some poisonous species may not exhibit a noticeable odor. But if a strong, unpleasant odor is present, it's best to discard the find immediately.

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Methods for identifying poisonous mushrooms when cooking

First of all, it is important to understand that different poisonous mushrooms contain different toxic substances and they affect the body differently.

Therefore, there are no absolutely effective and universal methods for identifying toxicity when cooking at home. After all, each dangerous species has its own characteristics. These need to be studied and memorized. Nevertheless, various cooking methods remain popular among the people.

Using a bow

Garlic is also used for testing, along with onions. First, the mushrooms are cleaned and washed, chopped, placed in water, and then the onions and garlic are added to the boiling liquid. In some cases, the onions and garlic turn brown during cooking.

These transformations occur due to the presence of the enzyme tyrosine in poisonous species. However, it can be found not only in poisonous mushrooms but also in some edible ones. Furthermore, not all poisonous mushrooms contain this element.

With the help of milk

Another popular method involves immersing the fruiting bodies in milk. If poison is present, the milk supposedly sours immediately. However, such changes occur due to the action of an enzyme such as pepsin or organic acids, which are present in varying amounts even in good mushrooms. Therefore, this method cannot be considered reliable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z2RaAlIcUA

Comparison and photos of common edible and inedible mushrooms

The most reliable way to determine whether a mushroom is edible is a thorough visual inspection. If you have the slightest doubt about its quality, it's best to discard it. Before heading out on a quiet hunt, it's a good idea to look at photos of edible and inedible mushrooms.

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Champignon and toadstool

The champignon has a more dangerous lookalike—the death cap. A mistake can be fatal, as its toxins (amanitins and phalloidins) are lethal, and there are no antidotes. How to distinguish them:

• look under the cap (the mushroom gills are brown or pink, and the toadstools are white);

  

• break it, preferably not with bare hands (the flesh of the champignon will remain the same, but the flesh of the poisonous toadstool will turn yellow or red);
• smell it (the aroma of the champignon contains notes of anise and almond, the death cap is no different, except that old death caps may have an unpleasant sweetish smell of raw potatoes).

  

Edible and false honey mushrooms

False honey mushrooms are less dangerous than toadstools, but they can cause severe stomach upset. They can be identified by their reddish, bright orange, or olive hue and the absence of a ring-like "skirt" on the stem.

Edible honey mushrooms are not brightly colored (they are light brown) and do not exceed 6 cm in height. False honey mushrooms emit an unpleasant earthy odor.

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The real and the false fox

True chanterelles never grow alone. Their caps and stems form a single unit. The skin is soft and smooth, separating from the flesh with difficulty. The cap edges are wavy. The gills gradually taper down the center of the stem. The color is almost uniform across the entire surface. Moreover, thanks to the presence of a substance called chitinmannose in the flesh, they are resistant to insects and worms. The scent of good chanterelles is reminiscent of peaches or apricots.

False chanterelles are considered edible in many countries. In Russia, attitudes toward them are mixed, as they don't have a pleasant flavor, require lengthy processing, and can cause mild poisoning. False chanterelles have a thinner stem and lack the characteristic thickening near the cap. They are easy to clean, have a rough cap surface, and smooth, regular edges. False chanterelles can have a rotten odor.

Myths about other self-testing methods

Other methods of personal toxicity testing have become quite ingrained in the minds of many "silent hunters." In any case, it's not worth experimenting on your own health by relying on myths and misconceptions:

1. The belief that prolonged pre-boiling of a product will remove toxins can sometimes lead to tragic consequences. After all, the most dangerous toxins are heat-resistant.
2. Inexperienced mushroom pickers assume that poisonous species must have an unpleasant odor. However, the death cap, for example, may not reveal itself by its odor. Moreover, each person's sense of smell varies.

   

3. It's worth noting the misconception that insects will always avoid contact with poisonous fruiting bodies. This shouldn't be taken as a guide.
4. It's very dangerous to believe that strong alcoholic drinks neutralize toxins. On the contrary, they quickly spread poisons throughout the body and intensify severe symptoms and the toxicity of the fungus.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Various experts agree that common "folk" methods for testing a product for edibility cannot protect against poisoning. Therefore, it's best to leave any questionable find in the forest.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtGrca8EsYw