Don’t Eat Those Wild Mushrooms…unless you know what you are doing!
(PPFS-GEN-14/FORFS-16-01)
Mushroom hunting is a fun and rewarding hobby that can turn a hike through local woods into a puzzle-solving adventure. Many people are drawn to mushroom hunting and the potential to forage for food. Unfortunately, there is a dark side to mushroom foraging: poisoning. Each year, wild mushrooms lead to numerous illnesses and even a few deaths. While the threat of mushroom poisoning is real, most mushroom-caused illnesses can be prevented if collectors are well-informed and cautious. This fact sheet provides introductory information regarding mushroom safety.
Don’t Eat Those Wild Mushrooms…is a joint effort of the UK Departments of Plant Pathology and Forestry, and as such, has publication numbers from each department. This publication is online at PPFS-GEN-14/FORFS-16-01.
For additional publications on plant diseases and related topics, visit the UK Plant Pathology Extension Publications webpage.
By Nicole Ward Gauthier, Extension Plant Pathologist
Kentucky Pest News 