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Mushroom pickers beware

PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle 09.08.2011 13:11
A bumper crop of wild mushrooms is expected in Poland this year following the unusually wet weather this summer – but be careful when picking them, say experts.

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Poles who love picking edible fungi are out in forests, causing sanitary inspectors to issue appeals for caution.

The death cap amanita, which is often confused with several species of edible forest mushrooms, has already been spotted in southern Poland.

According to a spokesman for the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate Jan Bondar, 80 people were treated in hospital last year for serious mushroom poisoning. Seven people died.

Some needed a liver transplant. One of them was seven year old Tomek, who had to undergo two liver transplant surgeries, when the first transplant was rejected by his body.

The boy is said to be well now. Mr Bondar says that even experienced mushroom pickers should not feel too safe. Mushrooms should never be fed to little children, sanitary inspectors warn. But many parents seem not to be aware of that.

A few years ago, a baby suffered a serious poisoning after being fed a mushroom soup from a bottle.

The most dangerous mushroom is the amanita death cap, which retains its toxic properties even after storing for 10 years. (kk/pg)
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tags: mushrooms
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