Poisonous Mushrooms

[Anchor Lead]

Poisonous mushrooms are a concern during the monsoon season because they typically grow when it rains. Here's more on how to avoid poisonous mushrooms, some of which can be fatal.

[Pkg]

Mountains are full of wild mushrooms during the humid rainy season. The Korea Forest Service has issued an alert for poisonous mushrooms because the hot humid weather began earlier than usual this year. There are more than 1,900 mushroom species in Korea known to academics. Only 20 or 30 of them are edible. More than 90 contain fatal toxins. Podostroma cornu-damae, Amanita verna (fool's mushroom) and the East Asian death cap look similar to edible mushrooms, but... even a small dose can be fatal to humans.

[Soundbite] Seok Sun-ja(Ph.D., Rural Development Administration) : "Mushrooms change their looks according to the ecological environment, location and weather. It's hard for ordinary people to identify poisonous mushrooms."

Several accidents caused by the consumption of poisonous mushrooms have been reported recently. In Seoul, a family of four was rushed to the hospital on July 14th after consuming poisonous mushrooms.

[Soundbite] Sohn Chang-hwan(Doctor) : "Most of the poisoned patients complain of severe vomiting, diarrhea, stomachache and cramps in the hands and feet."

Two days earlier, five elderly people in their 70s had to seek medical help after cooking and eating poisonous mushrooms that they found on Gwanaksan Mountain.Many people think that poisonous mushrooms are easy to tell from edible ones by their bright colors, but that's not always the case. The best way to prevent poisoning is by staying away from wild mushrooms altogether.