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Health and Safety

Caution

The information, photos and instructions presented on this site are intended for informational purposes and should never be understood to replace the advice of a professional mycologist in the identification of mushrooms. Only adequate training or confirmation by an expert mycologist ensures the safe identification of a wild mushroom. When in doubt, the picker should abstain from consuming unknown specimens.

Cooking

When consuming wild mushrooms for the first time or tasting a new species, it is strongly recommended to eat only a small quantity, so that any intolerance or allergies can be discerned. All wild mushrooms must be cooked before eating. The authors and web site editor cannot be held responsible for any errors in identifying wild mushrooms that are consumed. Consult an expert mycologist to ensure the proper identification of species you wish to consume. Also note that mushrooms kept in improper conditions or which contain dead or decomposing flesh can be unhealthy, just like other damaged or altered products, and may cause poisoning or digestion problems.

Dried mushrooms

The vast majority of dried mushrooms sold in our markets come from abroad and are repackaged in Quebec. Often tracing is impossible. With the exception of a few easily identifiable species such as Morels, it is very difficult to know what they are. These mushrooms are the cause of a number of intoxication. The reason for foreign purchasing is low cost. It takes, on average, twelve kg of fresh mushrooms to produce one kg of dried mushrooms. If one kg of fresh mushrooms is sold for $30.00, the equivalent cost of purchasing the raw goods is $360.00/kg, not including the cost of slicing, drying, packaging and marketing. To have dried mushrooms in Quebec, one must anticipate paying a higher price and dealing with a conscientious packaging plant.