It is important to be able to distinguish edible fruits from inedible fruits. On the way of a person, a pig mushroom can meet (in common people - a dunk). It is highly toxic and contains heavy metals.
The danger of eating mushrooms of sows
Description of the sows
Dunks have over 30 varieties. The description of the appearance of the fruiting bodies of representatives of the genus Paxillus has common features. The shape of the hat is wavy, at a certain angle it resembles a piglet.
The fruit body looks like a breast. The hat is fleshy and spreading. The shape is elongated or rounded. In the middle, the size of the hat is 10-15 cm. Some specimens grow to 35 cm.
According to the description, in young fruits the convex shape of the hat. With age, it evens out, becomes dry and crack. In the center, concavity is formed. After rain, the dry and rough surface becomes sticky.
Color also varies. There is a pig of white, brown, olive, brown and black colors. The color of the legs is the same, only the shade changes.
Types of mushrooms and their distribution
There are a lot of varieties of pigs. All of them sprout in deciduous and coniferous forests, and love marshland. Dunks prefer a temperate climate, so they are often found in Europe, Asia and even North America.
Pig is a whole kind of mycelium. In total there are 35 species. The most common pigs are:
- Thin. Popularly, such fruiting bodies are known as Poddubniki. They germinate at the roots of fallen trees. Their hat is round, slightly wavy. The diameter often reaches 20 cm. The color is brown. As you age, the hat becomes gray. The leg is creamy, short, up to 8 cm long.
- Alder. Distributed in most countries of Europe. It differs in the funnel-shaped form of a hat, with a diameter of 6-8 cm. The Alder pig is brown, has a scaly structure, and there are cracks. The pulp is yellow, the smell is absent.
- Felt (black pig). It grows only in coniferous forests. This porcini mushroom has a large rounded hat, the edges of which are bent towards the legs. The color is brown, brown. Often a black tint appears. The leg is brown or brown, with a velvety surface.
- Ear-shaped. It features a small foot size (not exceeding 3 cm) and a large fan-shaped hat. Its dimensions reach 14 cm. The surface of the cap is rough, but with age it becomes smooth. The color is light brown. The pulp is yellow, has a coniferous aroma.
- Giant. Such a dunk has huge hat sizes. Diameter - 25-30 cm. The shape is wavy, white. The species is common in Europe. It grows with mycelium on the territory of Russia, as well as the Caucasus.
In the forests of North America, porcini fungi Vernalis (Paxillus Vernallis) are found. This species is known for symbiotic bonds with some plants. It grows on birch and aspen.
Southern European countries suffer from the spread of another poisonous mycelium - Paxillus ammoniavirescens. It grows not only in the forest belt, but also in city parks and alleys. The appearance of the mushroom is similar to others. It has a spreading fleshy hat of beige or olive color with a diameter of up to 15 cm. It is rough on the edges and smooth in the center. Leg is average, 5-8 cm.
Is the pig edible?
Pig belongs to the poisonous species of mushrooms
For beginning mushroom pickers, porcini mushrooms often seem similar to other edible mycelium species. This poisonous fruit grows under the same conditions as edible fruiting bodies.
Dunku was banned from collecting in 1993 due to a series of poisonings. The first known case of death dates back to 1944, when the mycologist J. Schaeffer tasted the mushrooms of a pig. He had severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Schaeffer died on the 17th day after the meal.
Mushroom pig is inedible. Harm from its use:
- Porcini mushrooms contain a dangerous toxin, the concentration of which remains high even after prolonged heat treatment of the fetus. Some varieties of mycelium contain muscarin poison, the toxicity of which is comparable to the poison of red mushroom.
- The product contains antigens, when they enter the body, the cell membranes of the mucous membrane of the internal organs are destroyed. The result of consuming such fruiting bodies is unpredictable. Perhaps the development of anemia, nephropathy and renal failure.
- The porcini mushroom contains chemical compounds based on heavy metals, as well as radioactive particles.
Pig is a poisonous mushroom, even its accidental use leads to allergic reactions, disruption of the activity of internal organs and systems, severe poisoning and death. Having seen the place where such a mycelium grows, it is better to bypass it. If in doubt, it is better to show the find to an experienced mushroom picker who will tell you whether the fruit bodies are false or not.
Signs of Poisoning
Porcini mushrooms were previously considered edible, since signs of poisoning did not always appear. The reason is the different sensitivity of people to heavy metals and poisons contained in fruiting bodies.
The greatest harm was received by people with health problems, or by children. After consuming mycelium for 1-3 hours, symptoms do not appear. Later, people are worried about:
- nausea;
- vomiting
- stomach ache;
- diarrhea;
- yellowness of the skin;
- dizziness.
In case of poisoning, an increase in hemoglobin in the urine is observed. Renal activity is also impaired. Urination becomes rare, there is a risk of oligoanuria.
The benefit of the sows
The benefits and harms of Pigs are often discussed. This type of mycelium is poisonous, but if used correctly, it will not cause harm. The benefit of the pig is the same as the use of edible varieties of fruiting bodies. They are also rich in vitamins, amino acids and proteins, have a large number of trace elements in their composition: magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, etc.
Eating such fruits is not dangerous if they are cooked correctly. They will not lead to poisoning or other consequences if:
- Clean them in the first hour after collection.
- Soak the cleaned fruits for 24 hours in saline with citric acid (this is important for removing poisons and heavy metals from the product).
- Rinse the soaked fruits under running water and boil in salted water for 5-7 minutes.
The porcini mushroom is dried, and then cooked as desired: stewed with meat and vegetables, included in the first dishes, marinated or added to salads. Porcini mushrooms are also harvested for the winter. But it’s better not to risk it.
Conclusion
Pig - conditionally edible mushroom. Most species are saturated with poisons, heavy metals and radioactive particles. People living in villages continue to collect this mycelium and eat it. The main thing is to properly process it after collection, then the risk of poisoning will be minimized.
