11 hospitalized after eating foraged mushrooms near Yellowstone

Ten adults and one minor have been hospitalized after eating wild mushrooms outside Yellowstone National Park in Montana.

On the evening of July 27, emergency personnel responded to a private home in Park County, Montana, which borders the park, where people were suffering from poisoning symptoms after gathering and eating wild mushrooms.

Montana Department of Health and Human Services (DPHHS) spokesman John Ebelt said Outside At the time of this publication, all victims were still in hospital, with seven of them in critical condition.

“Based on preliminary information, officials believe this is an isolated incident, and there is no indication of any threat or danger to the general public other than the dangers inherent in mushroom discovery,” Ebelt said. “There is no indication that this incident is connected to any restaurant or grocery establishment.”

Authorities are investigating the incident, Ebelt said. DPHHS did not provide Outside With more information about what types of mushrooms were consumed.

According to the non-profit educational group, Northwest Mushroomers AssociationEvery year in the United States, about 7,400 people are poisoned by poisonous mushrooms and about three die. For example, in March 40 people fell ill and another four died. Mushroom poisoning outbreak in California.

Montana is home to hundreds of mushroom species, most of which are not considered edible, said Kathy Cripps, a mycologist with the group. western montana mycologytold Outside.

“Although only a few are potentially deadly, there are some that can make you sick or simply don’t taste good,” Cripps said. “People should stick to popular favorite foods.”

Although officials have not disclosed the type of mushroom involved in the recent poisonings, for example, a commonly confused species in Montana and the broader Pacific Northwest is the morel mushroom, a highly prized, deeply flavorful wild fungus known for its honeycomb-like cap. Villagers often confuse morels, which have pits and ridges, with their wrinkled cousin, the false morel. Fake morels contain a dangerous toxin called gyromitrin, which can cause serious illness or death if consumed.

But even genuine morality can pose a danger when half-baked, Cripps said.

“They should be cooked until crisp, as real morels are also poisonous raw,” he said.

In less severe cases, eating poisonous mushrooms can have effects similar to food poisoning, including vomiting or diarrhea that may cause the person to recover quickly. More toxins found in mushrooms can cause neurological symptoms such as dizziness, tingling in the hands and feet, hyperactivity and death, Cripps said.

“The most deadly mushrooms cause no symptoms for a few hours, then vomiting may occur, and when the patient begins to recover, the cyclopeptide toxins are moving through the bloodstream, destroying liver and kidney cells, which is potentially fatal,” she explained. Outside.

What to do in case of suspected poisoning?

The Northwest Mushroom Association says if you are someone you know who is believed to have eaten a poisonous mushroom Call 911 immediately.

you can also call Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.

1. Gather all leftover mushrooms and discarded mushroom pieces and place them in a paper or plastic bag, and note where the mushrooms were collected.
2. Make notes of when the mushrooms were eaten, how much of each type was consumed, what you thought the species of mushroom was, and how the mushrooms were prepared.
3. You will need to give the bag of mushrooms and your notes to emergency responders or the attending physician at the emergency room.
4. If you don’t have any mushroom remains, ask a friend to go back to the spot where you harvested the mushrooms and collect samples to give to the attending physician at the emergency room.

How do you find safe mushrooms? Cripps says to identify desired food species using reputable books or websites (not AI) or, even better, a person experienced in foraging.

“There are no shortcuts,” she said.

Even edible mushrooms can make a person sick if they are not properly cared for. When looking for mushrooms, Cripps says to avoid using plastic bags and opt for a basket or paper bag instead.

“Mushrooms sweat into plastic and it’s possible for bacteria to grow,” he said. “Keep the mushrooms as cool as possible during transport; don’t just put them in the back of your hot car. Place them in a cooler and put them in the fridge as quickly as possible (and then in a paper bag or Tupperware container).”

Recommendations now call for all mushrooms to be thoroughly cooked, Cripps said, typically frying them until golden brown, which also enhances flavor.

“The main thing: Treat mushrooms the same way you treat chicken,” she said.

There are several thousand species of mushrooms, but only a few of them will kill you. And the toxins found in poisonous mushrooms are some of the deadliest natural poisons on Earth. Just seven milligrams – a quarter of a grain of rice – is enough to kill an adult.

If you want to know what it feels like when you eat a deadly mushroom, check this out Outside Podcast episode from the archives.