Minnesota’s Mushroom Menace: Surge In Poison Control Calls Sparks Concern

MUSHROOMS GROWING LIKE CRAZY IN YOUR YARD THIS YEAR?

Have you noticed that there are mushrooms in your yard this year? Not just a few here and there...I mean lots and lots of mushrooms? Me too. I love to eat mushrooms, but I've heard enough horror stories about people picking the wrong kinds and getting sick, that I leave my mushroom picking to pick up a container at the grocery store.

Not everyone sees things my way, however. According to an online article, the wet, warm weather we've been having this year has been the perfect environment for mushrooms to grow and thrive. Unfortunately, curious folks who can't get enough mushrooms are giving them a taste, which has led to a surge in calls to poison control centers in Minnesota.

Get our free mobile app

DON'T EAT THOSE SHROOMS

The Associated Press says that calls to the Minnesota Regional Poison Center were up 150% from April through July, compared to 2023. 90 of those calls were for 'potential' exposure, compared to only 26 calls in 2023.

Those figures don't include all the calls the center received regarding whether or not the mushrooms growing in people's yards were safe to eat.

TIPS

The numbers were up nationwide as well, not just here in Minnesota. This is what you need to know if you are wanting to be safe about picking wild mushrooms:

1. Do not pick and eat wild mushrooms unless they have been identified by a mushroom expert (not your neighbor...unless of course, they are an 'official' mushroom expert.)
2. Make sure you watch children that might be playing in the yard for accidental ingestion. You know kids...I double dare ya! Plus, toddlers want to put everything in their mouths, so make sure to keep an eye on them. Those mushrooms might just look a bit too good to turn away.
3. Teach your children to always ask before they eat something outdoors. This could be berries they find on a bush, mushrooms in the yard, or a variety of other things. Heck...some kids just like eating dirt.
4. Just so you know, cooking poisonous mushrooms DOES NOT make them safe to eat. They are still poisonous.

KNOW WHAT TO DO

If you or someone you know DOES eat a poisonous mushroom, these are some symptoms to watch for. Just so you know, the symptoms can show up hours or days later and include:

• Stomach cramps
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• headaches

More serious complications include:

• confusion
• seizures
• death

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

If you or someone you know is suspected of eating a wild mushroom, you can call the Minnesota Regional Poison Center immediately at 1.800.222.1222. The people who work at the center, work with mushroom experts to determine if the shrooms you ate were poisonous.