Safety advice has been issued on wild mushrooms as figures reveal 11
children and seven adults are known to have been poisoned by fungal organisms
this year in Ireland.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has strongly advised people
not to eat wild mushrooms without the advice of an expert mushroom forager.

It called on parents to be vigilant in relation to children near wild
mushrooms.

The warning coincides with the start of the foraging season, and an
increase in inquiries to the National Poisons Information Centre of Ireland in
relation to wild mushroom consumption.

In 2013, 19 cases of poisoning related to wild mushrooms were notified
to the centre involving seven adults and 12 children.

To date this year, 18 cases have been notified, involving seven adults
and 11 children.

All the children had eaten wild mushrooms accidentally.

FSAI director of consumer protection Ray Ellard said: “The high number
of cases involving children in particular points to the need for parents and guardians
to be vigilant and to teach children not to eat wild mushrooms,” he said.

“We’re advising parents and guardians to specifically watch children
who may be playing in gardens or fields where wild mushrooms could be growing
in case they accidentally eat a poisonous mushroom.”

According to Mr Ellard, it is extremely difficult for amateur mushroom
foragers to distinguish between safe and poisonous mushrooms growing in the
wild. “Given the serious health implications, we’re advising people to be aware
of the risks involved and to seek specialist advice from an experienced
mushroom forager if they plan to undertake this activity,” he said.

“In our opinion, websites and books showing visuals of mushrooms are
not sufficient to identify safe mushrooms and we would not recommend people to
solely rely on these to determine the safety of a wild mushroom.”

He said it was important to note cooking does not kill potentially
toxic chemicals that can be found in some wild mushrooms.

“Eating a wild poisonous mushroom, raw or cooked, can result in people
becoming very ill with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea and, in
some cases, it can result in liver failure,” Mr Ellard said.

There are 14 native species of mushrooms growing in Ireland that can
cause food poisoning.

A further 13 species can cause hepatic and renal toxicity and
ultimately can be life-threatening.

Consumers with food safety queries about wild mushrooms can contact the
FSAI Advice Line on 1890 33 66 77 or the Poisons Information Centre of Ireland
on 01-8092166 or at www.poisons.ie