Morels, Truffles and other Spring Mushrooms
by Michael W. Beug Email: beugm@evergreen.edu
The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA
Slide 13.
Gyromitra esculenta is commonly known as the Beefsteak Morel or Brain Mushroom. It is often found while out hunting for morels. While I have no reports of serious poisoning from people eating well cooked mushrooms from western North America, this species has caused many fatalities in Europe and a few fatalities from the U. S. as well. The toxin, known as gyromitrin, is volatile and in Europe cooks have died from simply preparing a large batch of these mushrooms while enjoying the truly wonderful fragrance of cooking G. esculenta . Since I learned that gyromitrin, which yields monomethyl hydrazine on cooking, is a potential carcinogen, I have ceased consuming this species. Recent reports from Western North America have turned up several cases of liver damage and some cases of kidney failure from consumption of Gyromitra species.
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