Don't eat wild mushrooms, SA Health warns

The warning comes as SA Health data shows 12 calls have been handled by the Poisons Centre, half of which have involved children aged under five, since January 1, 2023.

With a cooler, wetter summer and more rain expected soon, South Australia will start to see the ideal growing conditions for wild mushrooms in areas such as parks, back yards in mulch or compost, roadsides, farm paddocks, nature reserves and forests across the state.

This includes reports of the Death Cap mushrooms - Amanita Phalloides - which are extremely poisonous and must not be eaten.

Fatal Death cap mushrooms are extremely difficult to distinguish from other wild mushrooms and can resemble edible species.

Wild mushrooms can pop up quickly and may look inviting to touch and eat but ingesting them can cause serious illness or death. This is why it is important to not eat wild mushrooms, to keep a close eye on curious children, as well as pets especially when outside.

Symptoms of mushroom poisoning include severe stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, which may take several hours to appear and can last up to three days.

Poisoning from several varieties including death-cap mushrooms may have delayed onset of symptoms - up to 24-hours - and can cause life-threatening liver damage.

Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia Senior Botanist-Mycologist, Dr Teresa Lebel, said wild mushrooms can be fascinating.

"Some can be bright and colourful, and some have special toxic protection to ensure they flourish by not being eaten - including by human," Dr Lebel said.

"Discover, appreciate, photograph them and leave them growing in nature. There is no simple way to tell if a mushroom is safe to eat or not.

"Our strong advice is people should only eat mushrooms from a reliable supermarket or greengrocer."

Dr Lebel said if you are seeking medical attention after coming in contact with a wild mushroom, take a photo of it and the general location. Also, try to take one of the mushrooms with you, if possible, to help experts identify what species it is to determine the most appropriate treatment.

I don't feel good...

If you suspect you or someone you know has eaten a wild mushroom, do not wait for symptoms to appear. Contact the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 for advice and always call triple zero (000) in an emergency.

If you suspect your pet has eaten wild mushrooms, seek veterinary attention immediately.

For more information on mushroom poisoning, visit the SA Health website.