Beware
Some fungi are toxic to humans and care must always be taken when collecting them for the kitchen. You might escape with an upset stomach, but - much worse - you could require a kidney transplant or become a fatality.
Three campers near the small town of Lairg, north of Inverness, collected what they thought to be chanterelles, but which in fact were Cortinarius rubellus (also known as speciosissimus). Sitting down to their meal, little did they know that ten days later the two young men in the party would be suffering from kidney failure brought about by a toxin contained in their misidentified fungi. After a period on kidney machines awaiting a suitable donor, the two underwent surgery. The girl was luckier, female mammals being less affected by this destructive toxin.
Guessing the identification of a fungus is not good enough: you must be absolutely certain.
There are relatively few species known to be deadly, of which small amounts will be damaging to us and other animals. It is not true that animals know better! Dogs sometimes misidentify a fruit-body and are poisoned. Information on poisonous plants and fungi in Britain can be obtained on a CD-ROM available from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and the Medical Toxicology Unit, Guy’s Hospital Trust, London.
Even those who know the identity of edible fungi should avoid eating fruit-bodies which have been gathered along highways and on industrial sites as their ability to accumulate heavy metals, including radioactive substances, can be high and is a health risk. Always be careful. People who have been at ease eating certain types of mushroom for years can suddenly become allergic. If it is the first time a particular fungus has been eaten, try only a small portion and keep some in case you are unwell; it may be needed for identification.
The rule of thumb is not to eat fungi about which you have the slightest doubt: always consult an expert in the field for a correct identification.
Magic mushrooms
A handful of larger fungi have been used as recreational drugs. Hallucinogenic fungi can be easily misidentified and lead to hospitalisation; over consumption can lead to poisoning. Cultivating and selling fungi for this purpose is a criminal offence.