Don't buy plantains: Novgorod residents are warned about mushroom dangers.

During mushroom season, even those who don't consider themselves avid mushroom pickers occasionally venture into the forest. Especially when autumn is praised as a "fruitful" season—how can you resist? Visiting the forest is certainly possible, but with extreme caution: the regional health ministry warns about where mushrooms should not be picked.

For many, even experienced ones, the temptation to "consider" an edible specimen in a vaguely familiar mushroom is often too great, even if suspicions creep in. This may be purely psychological, driven by the excitement of mushroom picking: one doesn't want to return with a meager "catch," or one finds it difficult to pass by a beautiful mushroom just begging to be added to the basket. Still, it's better to leave the basket half-empty than to have a couple of inedible, or even poisonous, attractive "strangers" sneak into it.

Also, avoid "silent hunting" near roads, within city limits, and near industrial facilities. Mushrooms absorb harmful substances like a sponge. Also, avoid wormy, overripe, or stemless mushrooms, even if they look familiar. Clean and prepare mushrooms immediately after harvesting.

The following rules are fairly simple, but not always obvious. First, poisonous mushrooms should never be eaten, even after any cooking. No amount of heat treatment will destroy all the toxins. Second, even edible mushrooms can sometimes be toxic and cause poisoning, so they must be thoroughly cooked. And when picking, follow the rules above. After all, a "plantain mushroom," even if it's actually a birch bolete, may well be inedible.

When should you call an ambulance or seek immediate medical attention? If, after eating mushrooms, you experience nausea, convulsions, blurred vision, or other signs of deterioration that could be related to poisoning, these symptoms don't necessarily occur immediately: they can take anywhere from half an hour to eight hours.

And, of course, we can't forget another danger—getting lost while chasing your mushroom bliss. Rescuers recently had to search for two pensioners for two days, but luckily , they were found .

Photo from the editorial archive