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Not all types of russula can be safely eaten. Pungent russula is a beautiful mushroom with a red cap that can cause food poisoning. It attracts lovers of quiet hunting with its appearance, but you should always remember that it is better to leave the brightest and most beautiful mushrooms where they grow. In addition, russula vomit and edible red russula practically do not differ, it is easy to confuse them, especially for an inexperienced mushroom picker.
Where the burning russula grow
These representatives of the Syroezhkov family can be found on the edges of deciduous forests, less often conifers. They prefer moisture and acidic, peaty soil, saturated with organic matter. Also, the stinging russula is common in swamps and in rocky areas covered with moss. It grows in small families, often single specimens, loves the neighborhood of edible representatives of the russula family, so it can easily end up in the basket of an inexperienced mushroom picker. Scorching russula is common throughout Russia, in places where there are peat bogs and forests nearby.
What does russula vomit look like?
This representative of the Russula family appears on the edges of forests, starting in July, and grows until late autumn (before frost appears). Can form mycorrhiza with deciduous and coniferous trees.
The medium-sized mushroom has a rounded cap with a diameter of up to 10 cm. It is colored crimson or dark pink, the edges are slightly lighter than the central part. Over time, the cap may become depressed, a small funnel forms in the center, and the edges rise upward. The surface of the cap is covered with a sticky smooth skin that can be easily separated from the mushroom body. In older specimens, the surface of the cap is wrinkled and bumpy.
Description of fiery russula
The cap is rounded, bright red, may be covered with discolored whitish spots. In humid weather, the surface becomes smooth, almost glossy, sticky. The edge of the cap is dull, ribbed, may be covered with small stripes.
The leg is wide, cylindrical, hollow inside, bright white, even, dense. At the base, it may become pink and thicker. In old burning mushrooms, it turns yellow, becomes loose, in places it turns pink. The entire surface of the mushroom stem is covered with a network of shallow grooves.
From the photo you can see that the flesh of the stinging russula is white, dense, elastic, in old mushrooms it can become looser, creamy or pink.
The plates of the burning russula are dense, wide, white, infrequent, and may be bifurcated. The plates are loosely attached to the leg. In old mushrooms, they can become creamy or yellowish, separate from the stem.
The spores of this representative of the russula family are spherical, spiky, white and small.
The pungent russula does not have a characteristic mushroom aroma, sometimes it can give off a subtle fruity odor, but more often without it at all.
Is it possible to eat stinging russula
Burning russula is not recommended to be eaten. The mushroom not only has an unbearably bitter taste, but also causes mild to moderate food poisoning. If a few pieces of pungent russula end up in a basket of edible mushrooms, it will not spoil the taste of the cooked dishes, but may cause mild stomach upset.
In some sources, the burning mushroom is called conditionally edible and is recommended to be eaten after double boiling, and each time the mushroom broth should be drained to remove the pungent bitterness of the burning russula. After pickling and salting, the mushroom pulp may darken. It should be borne in mind that with repeated use of this conditionally edible burning fungus, toxins accumulate in the body and negatively affect the functioning of the liver and organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
How to distinguish burning russula
The raw pulp of a stinging russula, when touched with the lips, can cause a burning and tingling sensation on the skin. The pungent or stinging russula can be confused with the marsh and red - all these representatives of the russula family have a colored, red or dark pink rounded cap, small in size. But the pungent russula has one peculiarity: when the pulp is cut, it turns pink or purple. If you remove the skin from the stem, you will find pink flesh. Also, when boiled, it may darken or turn yellow.
Symptoms of acrid russula poisoning
The pulp of this member of the russula family contains the toxin muscarine, it is also found in fly agarics, but in a more concentrated form. This substance in low concentration causes nausea and vomiting, headache, general malaise.
The first signs of poisoning with a stinging inedible mushroom appear within a few hours after its consumption. At first, there is a slight malaise, which lovers of mushroom dishes attribute to a common cold or an upset stomach.
Subsequent symptoms of burning russula poisoning:
- pain and cramps in the iliac region (more often in the right hypochondrium);
- body and muscle aches;
- slight increase in temperature;
- frequent loose stools with a lot of bile;
- nausea;
- incessant vomiting;
- cramps along the intestines;
- chills (alternating sensations of heat and cold).
First aid for poisoning with burning russula
As soon as the first signs of intoxication of the body appear, gastric lavage should be done. At the same time, a large amount of warm boiled water is drunk in one gulp, thereby causing vomiting. The procedure is repeated several times.
After the stomach is completely cleansed, use any absorbent drugs from poisoning: Activated carbon, "Atoxil", "Polysorb", "Smecta".
Then, for several days, they observe a drinking regimen (at least 2 liters of water per day) and a sparing diet.
Conclusion
Pungent russula is a conditionally edible mushroom that is not as safe for the human body as it was previously thought. If he accidentally falls into the basket of the mushroom picker, he will not do serious harm when eaten, only cause a slight discomfort.If the mushroom is salted or pickled, you can get rid of its unbearably bitter taste, but boiling cannot neutralize the harm of the pungent russula for the human body. With regular consumption, it causes serious intoxication of the body, inhibits the work of the liver, the digestive tract, and provokes the development of cancerous tumors.
