The Hellenic Food Authority (EFET) has issued a warning regarding the collection and consumption of wild mushroom, as there are about 80 to 140 cases of food poisoning reported each year.
According to the latest available data, there have been 60 cases of serious food poisoning attributed to the consumption of wild mushrooms reported this year all over Greece.
EFET warns that the collection and consumption of wild mushrooms can result in food poisoning. The main symptoms include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, while liver and kidney function may also be affective.
The toxins in poisonous mushrooms are not neutralized by heating or cooking and EFET notes that amateur mushroom collectors may not be able to identify safe wild mushrooms, as information culled from Internet sources may not be adequate.
The Food Authority however stresses that these warnings do not apply to processed mushrooms for sale and recommends that consumers contact the Poisoning Hotline via telephone (210-7793777) should they have any concerns regarding wild mushroom consumption.
