You should not use these apps in autumn
Autumn lures people into the woods to stock up on mushrooms. Increasingly, apps are being used that are supposed to be able to clearly identify fungi. Experts warn against this, because incorrect classification can be fatal.
Potentially deadly: Experts warn of mushroom apps
After the heat wave in summer, temperatures have now fallen significantly and precipitation has increased. Actually, these are good prospects when it comes to mushroom picking. However, the uninformed in particular are increasingly resorting to apps that are intended to help with the clear identification of the fungi. Right here lurks a dangeras explained by Christoph Hahn, President of the Bavarian Mycological Society.
According to Hahn, one cannot tell by the shape or color of a mushroom alone, whether it is a poisonous specimen. Many toadstools would look confusingly similar to harmless edible mushrooms. As an example, he cites the death cap mushroom, which could be mistaken for a button mushroom (source: hot online).
Florian Eyer, chief physician for clinical toxicology at the Klinikum Rechts der Isar of the Technical University of Munich, doesn’t think much of mushroom apps either. He warns against using such apps, yes a single wrong mushroom potentially deadly can be. Instead of relying on your smartphone and feeling a false sense of security, you should generally only collect mushrooms that you can clearly identify without technical help.
These apps, on the other hand, belong on every cell phone:
In the case of mushroom poisoning, also call the poison emergency number
If mushroom poisoning occurs, not only should the general emergency call (112) be called, but also called the poison control center will. On the Website of the Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety You can find a list of regional numbers for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. While some mushroom poisoning quickly manifests itself with vomiting and diarrhea, other toxins attack internal organs such as the kidneys and liver.
