Morel Mushroom Poisonings Up in Montana, Idaho

From the new west blog: Cook thoroughly while sober

By Jill Kuraitis, 6-28-08



	Morels are ugly suckers, but yummy

Morel mushroom poisonings have recently increased in Idaho and Montana, according to the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center.

The Center wants us all to know that it’s dangerous to eat raw, dried, or partially cooked morels, and it’s also unsafe to drink wine or other alcohol with any morels, cooked or not.

Morel poisoning causes impressive, repeated vomiting, usually right after you eat those bad boys.

From the Center’s press release, it’s easy to tell that this is more than a dodgy situation – it’s serious.

Do not drink and eat morels, cook them to death, and reject the dried kind.

“Impressive vomiting” is enough for me.

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By Jill Kuraitis, 6-28-08 | comments (15) | email story | print story

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Comments

By Patia, 6-28-08

Mmmm, morels. I've never had a problem. I do cook them a long time, though.

I just wonder, is it possible they're getting them confused with false morels?

By Justin, 6-28-08

well it is true that morels + alcohol is bad. And that some people may honestly have a bad reaction. So, it's safest to sample it before indulging.
And yeah a small toxicity exists in morels if uncooked. Though it effects individuals differently, or not at all.

By Horst Wagner, 6-28-08

There is a large slab of prohibition left in all parts of the <i>American Dream<.i>. It would seem pretty surprising to read about anything w/o the almost knee-jerk advice to eschew alcohol while using it...

By Justin, 6-29-08

The science behind simultaneous alcohol and morel consumption is not driven by ideology.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/3759144
http://www.jstor.org/pss/3756634
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr;=&id=WPWsZNvOqVAC&oi=fnd&pg=PA149&dq;=+Poisoning+by+Morels+When+Taken+with+Alcohol.+Mycologia&ots=8JvJFt01BH&sig=bFFsLbYL7aV9WExJHVbBckKSA-s#PPA151,M1
And until I see published literature refuting it...

By Patia, 6-29-08

And that is related to mushrooms how?

By tk, 6-29-08

I think they might be referring to the gyromitra (false morel).

The citation was for an aminita mushroom and the so called anti-buse reaction.

Gyromitra esculenta (MushroomExpert.Com) Gyromitra esculenta is a beautiful springtime mushroom frequently found by morel hunters in northern and western areas of the continent. ...
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/gyromitra_esculenta.html

My late mother who was a noted Alaskan Mycologist very often schooled me on the differences between the Morel and the False Morel (Gyromitra).

By bear bait, 6-29-08

'Shrooming was supposed to be one of the economic answers to no logging.

Now I see the connection. First, burn the forest. Then pick the mushrooms feeding on dead trees. And then get confused and poisoned. I never knew anybody who got log poisoned. Maybe a hemlock sliver might puss up good. Or your lungs got taken out in a white cedar mill by the natural insecticides in the wood shavings and sawdust. At least you went out after making a living wage.

By Sarah, 6-30-08

Is that picture with your article of a morel or a false morel? Clarify please. And clarify if poisonings were indeed from true morel mushrooms. Maybe a mix, someone picked some of each?
By the way milk thistle extract can save people from amanita poisoning.

By Jill Kuraitis, 6-30-08

The photo is a real morel, and the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center confirms the poisonings were not from "false morels." I relied on science, not conjecture.

By Serena, 6-30-08

This certainly explains what happened to me last summer in Central Washington. "Impressive vomiting" is right. I thought i DID cook them long enough though . . .

By Becky J, 6-30-08

I've been cooking them for years with a little sherry and cream, pour them over a medium rare steak and enjoy with a glass of wine.

By roadtripper4444, 7-01-08

I've eaten a lot of morels with a lot of wine and I've never gotten ill, and neither have any of my friends who've done the same. We do cook them completely, maybe that has something to do with it. I've never seen adverse effects with morels in combination with wine. I guess it's wise to just go easy if you've never had them. I've heard some people are more sensitive to mushroom poisoning.

they sure are yummy, though. i'm going to pick some tomorrow!

By Lindsey Truxel, 7-16-08

I've been picking and eating morels for many years and I have never had any reaction to mixing well cooked morels with wine or any alcohol. I made a great chicken, morel fetticine and fed it to the sailing club with a lot of good huckleberry hooch and not a soul got sick. We were all sailing the next day in a race. There was no projectile vomiting or complaints. I suggest that when picking morels make sure that the morel has a hollow center. If the mushroom branches out like a tree when you cut it open then it is a false morel and not a true morel. Look it up on the internet, they have some great pictures that show the difference. Mushroom are gooooood eats.

By Becky J, 7-17-08

The New West should update this article with the article from yesterday's Idaho Statesman.

By Sean, 8-13-08

Last night I had some morels (re-hydrated and cooked) over a burger with some wine. All four of us ate and drank the same thing. I got really sick about 1.5 hours after eating and had to vomit a few times. The other three people did not get sick at all. I guess maybe I am more susceptible to morel poisoning ... that sucks. I have not really had this problem in the past, but I usually drink beer. Maybe the morels were not cooked fully, and with the addition of wine ????

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From the new west blog: Cook thoroughly while sober