CHO Health Alert: Poisonous mushrooms growing in Melbourne

15 May, 2018

Status: Active

Date issued: 15 May 2018

Issued by: Professor Charles Guest, Chief Health Officer, Victoria

Issued to: General practitioners and consumers

Key messages

  • Extreme caution is advised when picking and consuming wild mushrooms - if in doubt, don’t consume.
  • Poisonous mushrooms including Death Cap mushrooms and Yellow-staining mushrooms are currently growing around Victoria as a result of recent heavy rains.
  • Cooking, peeling or drying these mushrooms does not remove or inactivate the poison.
  • There is no home test available to distinguish safe and edible mushrooms from poisonous mushrooms.
  • Mushrooms purchased from a supermarket, greengrocer or other reputable source are safe to eat.

Read the full alert: Poisonous mushrooms growing in Melbourne Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne.