A biology expert has warned against eating wild mushrooms that have grown extensively across natural areas following the recent rainfalls and have poisoned dozens of citizens.
Hossein Riahi, a biology and biotechnology professor at Shahid Beheshti University, said the toxic wild mushrooms can be easily mistaken for edible umbrella mushrooms due to their close resemblance.
“There are slight differences that cannot be recognized by ordinary people,” he was quoted as saying by ISNA.
According to the expert, the mushrooms are from the genus of Amanita and most probably the phalloides species, also known as the death cap whose general color and appearance is like edible mushroom.
“They are taller and thinner than edible ones and have a larger cap. There is also an onion-like form near their base, but there is no obvious distinction for the layman,” he explained.
As its name suggests, the species is highly deadly.
“Once the poison is digested and enters the bloodstream, it cannot be removed. But if diagnosed early, the victim can be saved by stomach pumping,” he said.
The wild mushrooms have grown in large numbers in the western regions of the country due to increased rainfall.
Unnecessary Risk
Riahi called on the public to avoid the risk of eating the mushrooms and obtain their needed mushrooms from reliable places where the product is offered in sanitary packages bearing health standard stickers.
“Toxic mushrooms are not easily recognizable and even touching certain types can be dangerous,” he warned.
The biology professor noted that edible mushrooms are cultivated in the country and Iran is among the ten top producers of button mushrooms in the world, so there is no need to pick wild ones growing in nature.
Based on the latest figures from the Emergency Medical Services, up until May 19, 721 people in the western provinces of Kermanshah, Zanjan, Lorestan, Ilam, West Azarbaijan and Kohgiluyeh-Boyer Ahmad have been poisoned by toxic mushrooms, of which nine have lost their lives.
