Laura Smith
Mushrooms are a type of fungus that has been consumed and used for culinary purposes by humans for centuries. With about 10,000 types of mushrooms worldwide, they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colours, and can be found in diverse environments, from deep in the forest to grassy, sunlit meadows. While some mushrooms are safe to eat, others are poisonous and can cause allergic reactions or even death. Proper identification of mushroom species is crucial to avoid potential health risks. The methods for identification range from traditional techniques used by amateur and professional mycologists to modern molecular identification.
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What You'll Learn
Identifying edible mushrooms
There are tens of thousands of different species of mushrooms in the world, but only a handful are both edible and delicious. Edible mushrooms can be found in many environments, from deep in the forest to stream banks and trees. While some species have unique trademarks that set them apart, mushrooms can often be difficult to identify and may have a host of different characteristics that need to be present in tandem to confirm their identity.
It is important to confidently identify each mushroom, as there are many look-alikes in the wild that could make you sick or even be fatal. There are no shortcuts to telling if a mushroom is edible or poisonous, and even edible mushrooms may produce allergic reactions in susceptible individuals. Therefore, it is recommended that wild mushroom pickers focus on collecting a small number of visually distinctive, edible mushroom species that cannot be easily confused with poisonous varieties.
- Buy a mushroom identification guidebook with good pictures and descriptions. Some recommended books include "All That the Rain Promises and More" by David Arora, "Mushrooms of the Northeast" by Teresa Marrone and Walt Sturgeon, and "Mushrooms Demystified".
- Make careful note of gill shape, pore surface, and other telling characteristics. For example, morel mushrooms have a pitted and deeply ridged, honeycomb-like cap, and are completely hollow when cut in half.
- Take a spore print. A mushroom’s spores can be white, brown, black, or even violet. A white spore print may be a good sign, but it is not a definitive test for all mushrooms.
- Consider the presence of juices upon breaking, bruising reactions, odours, tastes, shades of colour, habitat, habit, and season.
- Some common edible mushrooms include oysters, morels, lobsters, chanterelles, lion’s mane, chicken of the woods, hedgehog, and giant puffballs.
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Different types of mushrooms
Mushrooms are of thousands of different types, and they are classified based on their unique characteristics. People who collect mushrooms for consumption are known as mycophagists, and the act of collecting them is known as mushroom hunting or "mushrooming". Even edible mushrooms may produce allergic reactions in susceptible individuals, ranging from mild asthmatic responses to severe anaphylactic shock. Some mushrooms are also poisonous, and consuming them can be fatal. Therefore, eating mushrooms gathered in the wild is risky and should only be undertaken by individuals knowledgeable about mushroom identification.
Some of the most common types of mushrooms include button mushrooms, criminis, portobellos, shiitake, maitake, enoki, chanterelle, and oyster mushrooms. Button mushrooms are the most common type of mushroom and are estimated to account for 90% of the mushrooms consumed in the US. They are mild in taste and can be eaten raw or cooked. Crimini mushrooms, also known as baby bellas, are a darker, firmer, and more mature version of white button mushrooms. Portobellos, on the other hand, are larger and more mature than criminis. They tend to get slimy when cooked in fat, so dry heat is recommended.
Shiitake mushrooms are less expensive and have a pleasant, delicate texture. They can be added to soups or seared on a skillet. Maitake mushrooms, also known as Hen of the Woods, have an earthy aroma and a rich, gamey flavor, making them a popular meat substitute. Enoki mushrooms are small, growing in bouquets of long stems with petite caps. They have a mild flavor and a distinctive crunch, making them suitable for raw consumption or as a salad topping.
Chanterelle mushrooms have a trumpet-like shape with a depression in the center of their cap. They are available year-round and are known for their rich, savory taste. Oyster mushrooms have a chewy texture and a bittersweet aroma. They are versatile and can be used in stir-fries, omelets, soups, or stuffed into dumplings.
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Mushrooms' growth patterns
Mushrooms are neither plants nor animals, but they are incredibly necessary and useful for our ecosystem. They grow in complex, webbed patterns under the forest floor and send signals to surrounding plants, helping them exchange nutrients and water. The growth pattern of a mushroom is often compared to that of a plant since they spring from the ground or the sides of trees. However, mushrooms are heterotrophs, meaning they rely on surrounding food sources for nutrients, like decaying plant matter and animal waste.
The mushroom is the "fruiting body" of the larger organism, the fungus, which grows beneath the surface in a tangled web of fibrous tissues. The growth stages of a mushroom are the spore phase, germ phase, hyphae phase, mycelium phase, and mushroom phase. The life cycle is the same for all mushrooms, but some mushroom supplements are made from mushroom material harvested too early. The first phase, the spore phase, involves the germination of the spore into a "germ tube." This is the first multi-cellular shoot of tissue, which grows via mitosis, a growth pattern in which cells split into two identical, same-sex cells. As the germ tube grows, it may become visible, and the growing phase is quick. The germ tube then grows into a fully formed hyphae, which are long strands of tissue that spread throughout and release digestive enzymes to break down food and turn it into an energy source.
The mycelium phase involves the growth of the mycelium, which can be long-lived and massive. The mycelium is the underlying network of thread-like roots that supports the mushroom. The final mushroom phase involves the formation of the mushroom itself, which is the fleshy, spore-bearing body of the fungus. The growth of mushrooms can be affected by the growing medium, which can range from wood to grain and even insects.
There are seven main steps to the process of growing mushrooms, which are generally true for all methods and species, but can vary depending on the species and growing medium. These steps are strain selection, substrate preparation, inoculation, incubation, initiation, fruiting, and harvest.
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Mushrooms' toxicity
Mushroom toxicity has been known for thousands of years and has been implicated in the deaths of several historical figures, including the Roman Emperor Claudius. Of the many mushroom species, approximately 100 are toxic. There are about 6000 ingestions of toxic mushrooms annually in the United States, with over half of these exposures occurring in children under six years old.
Mushroom poisoning is usually the result of misidentifying toxic wild mushrooms as edible. Many toxic mushrooms closely resemble edible mushrooms in colour and morphology. Foraging for mushrooms is on the rise as a recreational activity, and poisonings can occur due to foragers mistaking toxic species for edible ones. However, many cases are intentional ingestions. It is important to note that even edible mushrooms may produce allergic reactions in susceptible individuals, ranging from mild asthmatic responses to severe anaphylactic shock.
The symptoms of mushroom poisoning depend on the ingested toxin, including amatoxin, psilocybin, muscarine, coprine, allenic norleucine, and gyromitrin. Poisoning can cause hallucinations, cholinergic toxicity, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea, hypoglycaemia, central nervous system toxicity, seizures, liver failure, and kidney failure. Serious symptoms may not appear immediately, sometimes taking days or weeks to manifest as the toxin attacks the kidneys or liver. The period between ingestion and the onset of symptoms varies depending on the toxin, with some toxins taking days to show identifiable symptoms.
Treatment for mushroom poisoning is typically symptomatic and supportive. Activated charcoal may be useful in limiting toxin absorption. While numerous antidotal therapies have been tried, none have consistently shown positive results.
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Mushrooms' uses
Mushrooms are a versatile food with a unique umami flavour. They can be eaten raw or cooked and are a good source of potassium, vitamin B6, and selenium, and vitamin D. Mushrooms are low in sodium and can be used as a substitute for meat to reduce fat, cholesterol, and calorie intake.
There are many different varieties of mushrooms, including white button, portobello, crimini, shiitake, oyster, maitake, king oyster, chanterelle, and enoki. Each variety has a distinct flavour and texture, and can be used in a variety of dishes. For example, shiitake mushrooms have a pleasant, delicate texture and can be added to soups or seared on a skillet. Maitake mushrooms have a strong flavour and can be used to supplement other mushrooms or as a substitute for meat. Portobello mushrooms are large and work well on the grill. White button mushrooms are the most common and easily recognisable, and can be added to a variety of cuisines.
Mushrooms can be used in a wide range of dishes, including pasta, pizza, salads, stir-fries, tacos, soups, and scrambled eggs. They can be roasted, sautéed, grilled, or marinated, and can be used as a substitute for meat in vegetarian or vegan dishes.
In addition to their culinary uses, mushrooms also have medicinal properties. Research has shown that eating mushrooms can lower the risk of cancer, improve cholesterol levels, and reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment, a precursor to Alzheimer's disease. Mushrooms are also a source of ergothioneine, an amino acid and antioxidant that prevents or slows cellular damage.
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Frequently asked questions
No, not all mushrooms are edible. There are about 10,000 types of mushrooms worldwide and many of them are not edible. Some mushrooms are poisonous and can be fatal if consumed.
There is no single trait by which all toxic mushrooms can be identified, nor one by which all edible mushrooms can be identified. Amateur and professional mycologists use standard methods for identification, including microscopic examination. They consider the presence of juices upon breaking, bruising-reactions, odors, tastes, shades of color, habitat, habit, and season.
Yes, there are many different types of mushrooms. Some common types include white button mushrooms, criminis, portobellos, maitakes, shiitakes, morels, and chantarelles.
