Weather of Arabia - After a recent poisoning incident that affected 45 citizens in Jordan , who are mainly located in the Bani Kenana District in Irbid Governorate and some areas of Balqa Governorate, the General Union of Farmers called for launching awareness campaigns by the competent authorities about the dangers of eating wild mushrooms without knowing the possibility of their toxicity. He pointed out the importance of educating citizens about this issue. During the same period, the National Center for Agricultural Research warned of the challenges facing the distinction between poisonous and non-toxic mushrooms, whether in terms of taste or appearance, especially with the presence of highly toxic and deadly species in the wilds of Jordan. Dr. confirmed. Nizar Haddad, General Director of the Center, explained the difficulty of distinguishing between poisonous and non-poisonous mushrooms, as it is not possible either by taste or appearance.
He pointed out that the toxins found in mushrooms do not disappear after cooking, freezing, or canning, which means they may be harmful to humans, sometimes even causing death.
According to the researcher at the Plant Protection Center, Dr. Anas Al-Shadifat , poisonous wild mushrooms have characteristics that citizens should know about, as they appear dark, and their upper side is spongy.
In addition, there is another type of poisonous mushroom that is characterized by the presence of white gills under the mushroom cap, with its color distinguishing between blackish brown or dark brown, and when pressed, its color changes. There are also types of poisonous mushrooms that are yellow in color, which are distinguished by their unpleasant odor. .
Al-Shudaifat pointed out that these characteristics of poisonous mushrooms do not necessarily mean that the person who collects them has skills in distinguishing between poisonous and non-toxic, and in this context, the center is working on implementing training courses for mushroom production at home, as mushroom production is considered a source of income for individuals, and it aims to Establishing productive mushroom projects and spreading awareness of its nutritional benefits.
For his part, the expert in mushroom sciences at the center, Dr. Raed Khreis called for avoiding consuming wild mushrooms if the person does not have any knowledge or doubts about their identity, and stressed the importance of the person who deals with mushrooms being knowledgeable and experienced in the types of poisonous and non-toxic mushrooms.
Khreis pointed out the spread of many types of poisonous mushrooms in the wilds, and focused on the importance of a project to master and classify types of mushrooms suitable for consumption in a safe and easy way. He stressed that the method of producing mushrooms at home without using expensive equipment is easy and pioneering.
The Director General of the General Union of Farmers, Mahmoud Al-Oran , called for launching awareness campaigns about the dangers of eating wild mushrooms in Jordan, especially since there are types of them that are highly toxic. He called for directing attention to mushrooms during the winter and early spring, stressing the importance of distinguishing between toxic and non-toxic types. Toxic, and stresses the need to avoid eating delicious mushrooms if they are sour when tasted at the tip of the tongue, warning that this may be an indication of toxicity.
Al-Oran explained that mushrooms must be washed well before eating or cooking them, as it is preferable to cook them to eliminate germs and avoid poisoning. He called for launching awareness campaigns by the competent authorities and agricultural extension in the agricultural directorates in the governorates, in addition to organizing educational courses in schools to educate citizens about the types of mushrooms and the necessity of producing them. In a saftey way.
He pointed to incidents of poisoning in the region as a result of eating poisonous wild mushrooms, stressing that distinguishing between poisonous and non-poisonous mushrooms requires agricultural expertise, and that the toxicity of mushrooms does not go away by cooking or freezing. In this context, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Health confirmed that there is only a small percentage of mushrooms in the region. It is not toxic, and poisoning can occur hours or days after eating poisonous mushrooms.
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