For many autumn lovers, picking mushrooms is a highlight of the year. A survey showed that around half of all Austrians like to go mushroom picking.
Although collecting mushrooms is considered one of humanity's oldest forms of collecting, many mushroom collectors forget some basics and restrictions that affect annual collecting.
Despite widespread misconception, fungi do not belong to the living organisms of plants, but rather, alongside these and animals, they form the third major area of eukaryotic living beings. Unlike plants, they do not feed on photosynthesis, but survive by absorbing liquid organic substances from their environment.
[mk_ad]
There are around 3,000 different species of mushrooms in the forests of Central Europe, of which an estimated 150 species are classified as poisonous.
What is particularly perfidious is that poisonous mushrooms do not have to taste bitter or spicy, which means that their taste component cannot be clearly recognized as poisonous. The urge to vomit usually sets in within a few hours; severe poisoning can result in organ damage and, in the worst case, death.
The main rule in the case of mushroom poisoning is that if poisoning occurs, parts of the eaten mushroom or vomit should be taken to the hospital in order to be able to determine the type of poisoning as quickly as possible.
In addition, various mushroom advice centers offer free checks of the mushrooms you have collected.
To prevent poisoning, the basic rule applies: only collect mushrooms that you know and that are not likely to be mixed up! In the event that an unknown mushroom is found among the collected specimens, examination before consumption is essential.
Another measure to protect health is to leave dried, moldy or very dirty mushrooms standing. These are in most cases inedible and serve the natural ecosystem of the forest as they are eaten by other creatures with better stomachs than humans.
[mk_ad]
Opinions differ about the method of collecting mushrooms. Opposite each other are the collectors who cut off the mushroom and leave the stem in the forest so that a new mushroom can form in this place or the second group who twists out the mushroom and does not want to make a direct cut on the mushroom.
When transporting and storing mushrooms, the general consensus is that they should not be stored in plastic containers or plastic bags, otherwise the mushrooms will begin to steam and become inedible. A wooden basket lined with a cloth is best. Mushrooms should also be used at home as quickly as possible and are not suitable for further storage (except pickled). Mushroom dishes taste best fresh anyway.
Some types of mushrooms are only edible when processed, i.e. cooked, fried, etc., and are even poisonous when raw. An exception to this is, for example, chanterelles or chanterelles.
Open your eyes to the mushrooms!
Each country or region has its own mushroom picking rules. In Vienna, for example, you are generally only allowed to collect up to 2 kg per day for your own use, and there are also some nature conservation zones, such as the Donau-Auen national park area, where collecting mushrooms is completely prohibited.
In Germany the limit is even lower, the Federal Ministry of Health sets the daily collection limit at one kilo per person, and there are also some protected mushroom species for which collecting is even completely prohibited. With the beginning of the mushroom season, there are increasing reports of people collecting and reselling mushrooms well in excess of the permitted amount. In addition to the fact that this is a criminal offense, such behavior also constitutes gross damage to the environment, as an important component is deprived of the ecosystem without replacement.
In general, we at Mimikama recommend that beginners team up with experienced mushroom pickers and learn the basics of mushrooms before starting wild picking on their own.
Because with a clear conscience you can enjoy the mushroom risotto better.
We wish you a nice autumn and a successful, nature-conscious mushroom harvest!
Note: Yes, Mimikama comes from Austria. And here they say mushrooms... and not mushrooms.
This might also be of interest:
Autumn is coming to your garden. The garden tips.
Author: Alexander Herberstein, By Africa Studio / Shutterstock.com
If you enjoyed this post and value the importance of well-founded information, become part of the exclusive Mimikama Club! Support our work and help us promote awareness and combat misinformation. As a club member you receive:
📬 Special Weekly Newsletter: Get exclusive content straight to your inbox.
🎥 Exclusive video* “Fact Checker Basic Course”: Learn from Andre Wolf how to recognize and combat misinformation.
📅 Early access to in-depth articles and fact checks: always be one step ahead.
📄 Bonus articles, just for you: Discover content you won't find anywhere else.
📝 Participation in webinars and workshops : Join us live or watch the recordings.
✔️ Quality exchange: Discuss safely in our comment function without trolls and bots.
Join us and become part of a community that stands for truth and clarity. Together we can make the world a little better!
* In this special course, Andre Wolf will teach you how to recognize and effectively combat misinformation. After completing the video, you have the opportunity to join our research team and actively participate in the education - an opportunity that is exclusively reserved for our club members!
Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )

