Is it possible to get poisoned with champignons: possible risks, characteristic symptoms, first aid

Is it possible to get poisoned with raw mushrooms

Although mushrooms are edible, cases of poisoning with these mushrooms are recorded quite often. Experts refer to the reasons for mushroom poisoning:

1. Consumption of a low-quality product. The use of wormy or old mushrooms can cause serious intoxication of the body.
2. Purchase of a product of questionable origin. According to statistics, poisoning with mushrooms purchased in spontaneous markets is most often diagnosed. There is no quality control or product certification at these points of sale.
3. The use of mushrooms collected in ecologically hazardous areas. It is forbidden to eat those mushrooms that are collected near railway tracks, near the road, in the immediate vicinity of sewage treatment plants and industrial enterprises. Such a product contains a large amount of toxic substances that can provoke serious food poisoning.
4. Neglect of contraindications. Every second person knows about the beneficial properties of mushrooms. They are able to saturate the body with nutrients and improve the functioning of many internal organs and systems, but only if the person consuming them has no contraindications.
5. Doctors prohibit the introduction of this product into the daily diet of people suffering from duodenal ulcers, kidney disease. Neglect of this rule will lead to a deterioration in the general condition and give an impetus to the active development of the disease.
6. It is forbidden to introduce mushrooms into the children's menu. In children who have not reached the age of three, fungi can provoke serious poisoning, requiring inpatient treatment.
7. Misuse of an inedible mushroom. Novice mushroom pickers often confuse mushrooms with pale toadstool or false mushrooms, the consumption of which can lead to severe intoxication.

Poisoning symptoms

Poisoning with mushrooms, including champignons, is accompanied by acute symptoms that simply cannot be overlooked. Symptoms of poisoning include the occurrence of:

• acute headache;
• causeless dizziness;
• cold sweat;
• severe pain throughout the abdominal cavity;
• weakness and fatigue;
• apathetic state;
• attacks of nausea and vomiting;
• hallucinations;
• severe diarrhea, which is accompanied by acute pain syndrome localized in the abdominal cavity.

In addition, with mushroom poisoning, a change in skin pigmentation and a sharp deterioration in visual acuity can be observed. The patient's skin turns yellow and vision becomes blurred.

The time and intensity of symptoms depends on the type of toxins that triggered the onset of food poisoning. With a slight intoxication, the victim may feel only slight discomfort in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. However, severe poisoning can lead to the development of serious diseases and even lead to death.

Therefore, when the first symptoms of poisoning appear, it is important to immediately seek medical help.

Video: symptoms and first aid for mushroom poisoning

A bit of history

Botulism in mushrooms is deadly

Botulism today is usually caused by poor quality homemade canned mushrooms. Until the middle of the twentieth century, when they were not engaged in massive procurement (there were no suitable containers, special rolling machines and tin lids), the source of the terrible disease was spoiled fish (dried and salted), as well as sausage. By the way, the name of the disease comes from the Latin word "botulus", which in translation means "sausage".

History has preserved an episode when in Belgium three dozen musicians invited (ironically) to play at the funeral, themselves almost went to the next world, having treated themselves to homemade ham. However, three still could not be saved, and several more people were nursed for a long time and with difficulty. But it was then that doctors managed to make the first immune serum, which later saved many hundreds of people affected by botulism.

First aid

There is no special antidote for mushroom intoxication. This fact makes first aid, provided before the arrival of the emergency carriage, simply vital. First aid measures include:

1. Gastric lavage. The victim must drink at least 1.5 liters of water, and then induce a gag reflex by irritating the root of the tongue with a finger. Repeat the steps until the stomach is completely cleansed of food debris.
2. Drinking plenty of drinks in portions will eliminate the development of dehydration. Such a drink can be pure water or Rehydron solution, which well replenishes the water-salt balance.
3. Absolutely all victims need to drink any available absorbent, which will help to bind and remove harmful components from the body in a natural way.

Never leave an injured person at home with symptoms of poisoning. The qualified help of doctors will help to exclude the development of complications in the future. And only the correct therapy prescribed by the attending physician will lead the patient to a full recovery.

Danger for expectant mothers and little children

It is better for people belonging to these categories to exclude mushrooms from the diet, since it is impossible to be 100% sure of their safety. Toxic substances contained in mushrooms will cause mild intoxication in an adult, and in children, the course of the disease may have a life-threatening character.

Prevention is our everything

Remembering the basic rules, you can completely eliminate the risk of mushroom poisoning. Among the recommendations are the following:

• When quietly hunting mushrooms in the woods, carefully inspect them and do not put a mushroom that has a dubious appearance in the basket. Do not cut off old mushrooms, they work as filters and accumulate all harmful elements from the air and soil.
• Buy only fresh and clean mushrooms at the market. This also applies to store purchases.
• When buying pickled champignons, carefully study the appearance of the contents and the acceptable shelf life. Any deviation from the norm makes mushrooms potentially dangerous and it is better to refuse such a risky purchase.

Mushroom poisoning is most often caused by a low-quality product and only a careful examination of the purchase will help you avoid mushroom poisoning. Remember that any suspicion of poisoning should be a reason for visiting a family doctor. Only a qualified examination and possible treatment will exclude the progression of the disease and the development of complications. Take care of yourself and be healthy.

Almost everyone loves mushrooms, especially champignons, they are easy to cook, they are incredibly tasty. Products are easy to find on supermarket shelves. Many people ask the question: is it possible to get poisoned with mushrooms? There is a risk, the following material will help prevent trouble.

There are several important aspects to be aware of in order to choose the right and tasty mushrooms. If the poisoning does occur, first aid is the necessary knowledge. Going for mushrooms, be sure to take note of the following recommendations.

Types of champignons: shop and forest

Whole and attractive mushrooms harvested from the forest can be harmful to health. False champignons are very similar to real mushrooms and inexperienced pickers can bring pale toadstools home. They differ only in color on the inside of the cap and in the "ring" on the leg. Poisoning with toadstools does not carry a mortal danger, but it can permanently disable the victim.

In their structure, mushrooms are similar to a soft sponge. They also absorb a variety of substances from the soil, can be both useful and potentially hazardous to the health of the consumer. Old and wormy mushrooms are usually filled with toxins and are not recommended for consumption. Experts also advise inexperienced mushroom pickers to avoid "unsafe areas", which include:

• areas near sewage treatment plants;
• motorways;
• garbage dumps;
• territories of industrial enterprises;
• land near the railroad tracks.

The soil in such places is filled with acids, radionuclides and chemicals. They are concentrated in mushrooms, and mushroom mushroom poisoning provokes severe intoxication of the body. One day is enough for a young mushroom to become unfit for human consumption.

Most consumers doubt whether store-bought mushrooms can be poisoned. The mushrooms sold for sale must be certified and the manufacturer or supplier is responsible for their quality. Pickled or frozen products undergo special processing.

In order not to get poisoned with champignons from the store, the choice of mushrooms must be approached with responsibility. Buyers can be alerted by:

• darkening on the inside of the cap;
• spots on its surface;
• violation of the uniformity of the mushroom;
• uniform darkening of the leg or cap.

If the outside of the mushrooms looks normal, but the mushrooms are black inside, it is better to refuse such products.

Poisoning with expired champignons in a jar is also possible. Poor-quality canned mushrooms are slippery and as if covered with mucus, and the brine is cloudy. The smell from the liquid and the product itself is harsh and unpleasant

When buying, be sure to pay attention to the expiration date and the integrity of the can. Bloated containers are a sign of spoiled mushrooms, which are not recommended to be purchased.

How to avoid botulism when canning mushrooms

Since only those products that have been stored for some time under a tightly sealed lid without oxygen access become hazardous to health, only canned food can be poisoned. For example, botulism in fried mushrooms is detected when the original product was initially canned, and then opened and cooked.

To minimize trouble with mushrooms, observe the following rules for storing and preparing the product.

1. Keep canned food in a cool cellar room, refrigerator, at a temperature not higher than +6 ° C.
2. Do not store homemade items for more than one year.
3. Before eating, pickled mushrooms must be additionally processed - boiled, baked or fried.
4. Process the collected mushrooms immediately - do not leave them for tomorrow.
5. When harvesting, carefully cut the mushroom, leaving the roots in the soil so as not to soil the entire contents of the basket with soil.
6. Wash thoroughly and clean the starting material from soil and debris.

How to preserve properly

The only surefire way to avoid botulism in mushrooms is to harvest them in a way that does not require an airtight seal. It can be salting in an open way or drying. Proven old-fashioned methods will preserve the product no worse than a newfangled marinade.

What if you are not interested in such recipes? Here are some tips on how to avoid botulism when preserving mushrooms that will minimize the risk.

1. Canned mushrooms cannot be sealed with metal lids. Unfortunately, most housewives do not follow this rule. Meanwhile, the jars should be closed with parchment paper or thick nylon lids.
2. Recipes in which mushrooms are poured with hot marinade without boiling are very dangerous. In this case, canned food should stand in the refrigerator for at least 10 days and should be eaten as soon as possible.
3. To reduce the likelihood of developing botulism in pickled mushrooms, boil them for 30 minutes before canning.
4. Remember that boiling does not guarantee that the botulism bacteria will be killed, as spores can easily withstand temperatures up to +120 ° C. Therefore, canned food can be sterilized using an autoclave, in which temperatures above +125 ° C are possible.

Freezing is a simple and reliable way to preserve mushrooms for a long time. With the advent of affordable freezers, this method is gaining in popularity.

When to buy which mushrooms?

Employees of the St. Petersburg Mycological Society recommend buying fresh mushrooms on the market only during the period when they grow in the forests. At the same time, cultivated mushrooms are found in supermarkets, which can be hatched regardless of the season.

According to mycologists, knowing which mushrooms to buy requires knowing the growing seasons. There are two of them - spring and autumn.

The first wave of the mushroom season, spring, in St. Petersburg begins in April. At this time, the first morels and lines appear. In May, there are the first raincoats, boletus, oyster mushrooms, as well as May rows and spring mushrooms. In June, in the forests you can find aspen mushrooms, boletus boletus, chanterelles, russula, boletus, various milkmen, talkers, porcini mushrooms and others. The first wave lasts until mid-July.

At the end of August, the second wave begins - the autumn one. Then autumn mushrooms and rows appear. In September, milk mushrooms, mushrooms, podgruzki, large raincoats, mokrukhs and Russian white truffle are added to them.

In October, the mushrooms of the first wave stop growing, and with the first snow, the mushrooms of the second wave also disappear. During the winter, only oyster mushrooms and winter mushrooms can be found on the trees.

Symptoms of mushroom poisoning

When mushroom poisoning occurs, the symptoms of intoxication depend on what caused it:

• product toxicity caused by the presence of a mycotoxin or toxin in the structure;
• storage in a raw, unprocessed form for a long period;
• long-term storage of cooked or canned mushroom dishes;
• eating samples affected by worms, flies and other pests;
• accumulation of toxic substances from the soil (for example, heavy metals);
• a combination of some varieties with alcohol.

Signs of mushroom poisoning are sometimes observed after eating edible mushrooms, but in large quantities. They are difficult to digest foods. The accumulation of a significant amount of such food in the digestive tract can also cause mushroom poisoning.

Like other food poisoning, mushroom poisoning is accompanied by diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and general weakness. Specific symptoms of poisoning can also be distinguished:

1. From the side of the digestive tract - sharp, spasmodic pains in the epigastrium. Nausea begins, turning into non-stop vomiting. The stool becomes frequent and liquid, its frequency exceeds 15-20 times a day. If poisoning with pale toadstools occurs, vomit and feces, due to the admixture of blood, become like coffee grounds.
2. From the side of the central nervous system - various disorders, depending on the characteristics of a particular toxin. Disorders of coordination, visual and auditory hallucinations, delusions, lethargy, and excessive anxiety can be observed. Often, after an acute period, the patient becomes lethargic and becomes unconscious.
3. From the liver and kidneys. The symptoms are due to the destructive action of the poison. There may be a decrease in the amount of urine produced, yellowing of the skin, an increase in liver size. With a severe degree of intoxication, renal and hepatic failure develops, turning into a coma.
4. On the part of the cardiovascular system. Poisoning can lead to irregular heartbeats, increased heart rate and lower blood pressure.

Consequences of the disease

Practice shows that after a severe form of the disease, even with qualified therapy, recovery is slow, over several weeks. Residual symptoms may persist for several months.

More often, the effects of botulism make themselves felt when recovery measures are not carried out in a timely manner. We are talking about such conditions:

• tracheobronchitis and acute respiratory failure;
• aspiration pneumonia;
• purulent mumps;
• myositis and myocarditis.

It is worth knowing about the side effects of therapy, as the body's response to toxoid. Such reactions are serum sickness and anaphylactic shock.

What to do in case of mushroom poisoning

Eating mushrooms accounts for about 4% of all food poisoning, so everyone needs to know what to do in case of mushroom poisoning.

The serious consequences of such intoxication are much more dangerous than the symptoms of other poisonings, which are more common.

The thoughtless use of mushrooms with food, their improper preparation, purchase or self-collection are the main reasons for the development of intoxication of the body.

Diagnosis of mushroom poisoning

One of the first signs that you could be poisoned by mushrooms are "failures" in the gastrointestinal tract. The patient, as a rule, has symptoms of inflammation of the intestinal mucosa in the form of intense cramping, cutting abdominal pains, dyspeptic disorders (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea).

Such symptoms often appear after 5-13 hours after you ate the mushrooms. If there was a pale toadstool among them, then internal bleeding begins, which is revealed by specific vomiting - the mass is similar to coffee grounds, and black feces, in which blood is seen in the form of veins.

Stool is usually frequent - more than 15 times a day.

The type of mushrooms and how many of them were eaten determine the received dose of the toxin in the patient. Its quantitative content directly affects the symptoms of damage to the central nervous system. After the use of fly agarics, hallucinations and motor hyperactivity may occur, after the use of pale toadstool - agitation, fussiness, the patient experiences severe anxiety.

Some time after the development of signs of intoxication, patients become lethargic and inhibited, lose touch with reality, while their consciousness is impaired, which can lead to the development of a coma.

Lower blood pressure

Immediately there are symptoms associated with a malfunction in the cardiovascular system:

• lowering blood pressure;
• tachycardia;
• development of arrhythmia.

Without proper treatment, patients with such poisoning can survive for about 2-5 days. Therefore, the provision of timely medical care plays a huge role in the recovery of the victim.

Mushroom poisoning treatment

The first and foremost rule of successful treatment is timely referral to specialists!

Initially, doctors need to tell the following:

• the type and amount of mushrooms that were eaten (the appearance must be described);
• how they prepared;
• how many people ate them;
• whether the mushrooms were boiled or cooked differently;
• how much time has passed since their use.

First of all, treatment should be aimed at neutralizing the harmful effects of fungi, which are still in the stomach cavity.

If the patient is conscious, then you need to do this even before the arrival of the ambulance team, and then continue in the hospital.

In a polyclinic, a poisoned person is washed with a stomach by introducing a probe into the esophageal cavity and gradually infusing 10-15 liters of clean water at room temperature.

Then, droppers are prescribed, which stimulate the excretory function of the kidneys, due to which it is possible to achieve forced diuresis.

In the future, for several days, the patient should be constantly monitored.The poisoned person is taken to the hospital for subsequent detoxification procedures.

How to avoid botulinum toxin when preserving mushrooms

It is the mushrooms that pose the greatest danger after conservation. If they have been heat treated in soup, after frying, etc., then the product is safe. So the most important recommendation is to digest the mushrooms before putting them in jars.

You should also consider these rules:

1. wash the mushrooms thoroughly and sterilize the jars before preserving. Boiling raw mushroom marinade will NOT WORK and will not kill spores;

2. it is better to preserve mushrooms immediately after collection;

3. mushrooms should be boiled for at least 30 minutes before conservation;

4. the pickle for the marinade must be compiled strictly according to the instructions. Do not under any circumstances reduce the amount of vinegar and salt for the sake of economy. In general, the solution should be fairly acidic (pH at least 4.6) - this roughly corresponds to 2% vinegar. Salt should be at least 10% of the total composition of the products;

5. it is best to boil mushrooms in an autoclave or pressure cooker, not a saucepan. There is high pressure and temperature from 120 C °;

6. when rolling, do not use metal covers, take plastic (nylon);

7. Store jars of mushrooms in a cool, dark place. The temperature should be no higher than 6 C ° - in this case, the bacteria stop all movement at all;

8. when rolling, add a little more vinegar to the jar with mushrooms to pour over the surface, or aspirin.

The shelf life of canned mushrooms should not exceed six months. It is better to use them even earlier - after three to four months.

At the same time, you should not eat mushrooms too early. Botulism bacteria die after a certain period of exposure in an acidic environment. For example, in mushrooms after hot salting, it is at least seven days.

TOP 5 most dangerous mushrooms

Some types of mushrooms are deadly poisonous - they are fatal when consumed even in small amounts of mushrooms. But these types of poisoning are most often the cause of death of adults and children.

The mortality rate of poisoning is from 35 to 95%. Outwardly, the mushroom is easy to confuse with champignons, satanic mushrooms or russula. Only 30 mg of the poison contained in the pale toadstool is enough to kill an adult; half the dose is enough for the child. It is not destroyed by temperature or chemical additives - salted, pickled, fried mushrooms can also lead to intoxication.

A typical feature of this type of poisoning is a long incubation period (up to 18 hours). After this time, a severe headache and vomiting develops simultaneously. Abdominal cramps become unbearable; visual disturbances are observed. The victim feels signs of dehydration - weakness, muscle cramps. Urine production decreases and then stops completely. The skin becomes cyanotic, the body temperature drops to 35–36 degrees.

This condition can last for several days. By 2-3 days, the reaction from the digestive tract becomes less pronounced, but the signs of hepatic and renal failure intensify. If you do not start treatment before this point, further actions are practically useless.

The appearance of this poisonous mushroom is known to everyone: it cannot be confused with either a porcini mushroom, or a mushroom, or a chanterelle. However, cases of fly agaric poisoning are not so rare. It is eaten out of curiosity, for a narcotic effect and as a traditional medicine. Depending on the type of fly agaric, the toxic effect will be caused by muscarine, mycoatropin or fly poison.

In 0.5-6 hours after eating the mushroom, abdominal pains of moderate intensity begin. Pupils narrow, there is profuse sweat, nausea and vomiting.Severe forms of poisoning are accompanied by characteristic signs of damage to the central nervous system:

• a feeling of constriction of the pharynx;
• panic;
• confusion of consciousness;
• delirium;
• visual and auditory hallucinations.

Gradually, these symptoms are smoothed out, giving way to euphoria, reminiscent of alcohol intoxication. Seizures, delirium and fits of rabies may begin, as well as other manifestations resembling belladonna poisoning.

The lethality of fly agaric poisoning is 6–12%. At risk are small children, elderly patients, women during pregnancy.

Contains heat-resistant highly toxic poison Orellanin. Mountain spiderweb poisoning is rare, but it is characterized by an extremely high mortality rate. The reason is that the symptoms of poisoning can appear after a few weeks.

Intoxication causes intense thirst, headache, a feeling of coldness in the limbs. Death occurs due to irreversible kidney damage.

These mushrooms have an unusual appearance: their cap is wavy-lobed, reminiscent of the convolutions of the brain or the kernel of a walnut. Visually, the lines are often confused with morels, which causes the poisoning.

The lines contain from 0.2 to 0.4% Helvelic acid, which has hemolytic properties. It leads to disturbances in the functioning of the hematopoietic organs, causing severe systemic disorders.

6-10 hours after eating the lines, the state of health suddenly deteriorates: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, severe headache develop. Then jaundice appears. The liver increases in size and becomes painful on palpation.

The defeat of the hematopoietic organs leads to the destruction of about a fifth of all erythrocytes. A poisoned person develops hemoglobinuria, anemia; urine turns reddish-brown. On the 3-4th day after the incident, death occurs from the phenomena of cardiovascular insufficiency.

The mortality rate of line poisoning is up to 30%. Most often, children die.

This category includes poisoning with such varieties of mushrooms:

• false mushrooms;
• pigs;
• waves;
• blackies;
• russula.

They all contain a pungent milky juice that leads to severe gastrointestinal upset. After 1-6 hours, the victim has nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, spasms in the epigastric region, severe weakness. Symptoms may last 1–2 days, then, with proper treatment, recovery occurs.