Wave poisoning: symptoms and signs

Volnushki are very common in the forests of the northern part of Our Country. These mushrooms are considered to be conditionally edible due to the bitter, caustic milky juice contained in the pulp, but after special processing they can be eaten. But, unfortunately, wave poisoning is also not uncommon. It may be the result of the fact that the mushrooms were not soaked or boiled, they were cooked incorrectly, or the resulting dish was stored for too long.

In addition, if a person to whom such mushrooms are contraindicated for health reasons decides to feast on a dish of volushki, this can also have bad consequences. At the first signs of poisoning, it is necessary to urgently provide the victim with emergency care and be sure to consult a doctor.

What are the waves

Volnushki are commonly called several types of tubular fungi belonging to the genus Milky. They grow on moist soil in mixed forests, usually near birch trees, and are often also seen along roadsides and in wide open clearings. The wave season lasts a long time – from June to October. They are usually found by mushroom pickers in large groups, uniting several dozen young and old specimens.

The three most common types of waves in Our Country are very similar to each other and are considered conditionally edible:

1. Volnushka pink, or volnyanka, volzhanka, krasulya, decoction. It is characterized by a convex hat with a diameter of 5 to 15 cm, which becomes flat with age with a small notch in the middle. Its color is pale or grayish-pink, on the surface of the skin of the mushroom, a pattern of concentric circles (“waves”) of a darker color is clearly visible, diverging from the center to curved down, slightly pubescent edges. The leg is pink, dense, cylindrical in shape, 3-7 cm long and up to 2 cm thick. The pulp of these mushrooms is white or light cream in color, with a slight coniferous smell. At the break, caustic white juice appears abundantly.

   

2. The wave is white, or white. It is very similar to the pink wave described above, but a little smaller, less massive in appearance and prefers more sunny, open places. The size of her hat is 3-8 cm, it is white, convex in a young mushroom and acquires a funnel shape in an older one. On its surface there are also concentric circles, their color is yellowish. The leg of this mushroom is up to 4 cm long, pinkish in color. She, like the hat, is covered with light pubescence. The pulp of the fungus is not very hard, white, bitter juice is released at the site of damage, resembling milk in appearance.

   

3. Volnushka swamp, or faded lactic, gray cracker. Less popular among mushroom lovers than the previous two species, however, after pre-treatment, they often also prepare pickles for the winter from it. Its cap can be from 3 to 8 cm in diameter, with dry, moist or slightly sticky skin on the surface. It is usually grayish or even grey-purple in color, with a darker color in the middle. The stem of the mushroom is long (up to 8 cm) and 1-2 cm thick, painted a little lighter than the cap in brown tones. The pulp is thin, brittle, white or grayish, practically odorless. The milky caustic juice of this fungus becomes grayish under the influence of air, and when completely dried it acquires a gray-green color.

   

In what cases can you be poisoned by waves

In a number of countries of Central and Southern Europe (Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, France), volushki are classified not only as inedible, but as poisonous mushrooms. However, in the Scandinavian countries (Sweden and Finland), they are happy to eat fried or boiled, after soaking well and processing in boiling water. In the villages of Belarus and Our Country, from the most ancient times, they were not afraid to salt, stew, pickle volushki, collecting them in season with whole baskets. Undoubtedly, you need to know well how these mushrooms should be prepared so that they can be eaten without fear of poisoning, and who should not eat dishes from volushki at all in order to avoid trouble.

Violation of the rules for preparing mushrooms for cooking

The most common cause of poisoning is a violation of the rules for pre-treatment of freshly harvested waves. It happens that inexperienced mushroom pickers do not pay due attention to this step at all. Such frivolity can lead to intestinal upset or manifest itself in mild or moderate poisoning.

Here are the main recommendations that must be strictly followed by those who are going to cook the waves:

• immediately upon returning from the forest, the mushrooms must be sorted out – wormy and spoiled ones should be discarded, blades of grass, twigs and other debris should be removed, the hats should be cleaned of the remnants of leaves and moss;
• the lower third of the leg of each wave must be cut off and discarded;
• remove the “fringe” from the mushroom caps, gently prying its edge with a sharp knife and removing it towards the center;
• Rinse the waves well in cold water;
• cut large specimens of mushrooms into 3-4 parts;
• put the waves in a wide enameled container and pour cold water in which salt is dissolved (50 g per 1 liter) so that it completely covers them;
• cover the mushrooms with a wide saucer and soak for 3 days, changing the water every 4-6 hours to avoid souring.

Violation of the dosage and formulation during preparation

According to the reviews of mushroom pickers, you can get poisoned with waves if the cooking technology is not clearly observed, the proportions of key ingredients are incorrectly calculated and all the necessary subtleties are not taken into account.

Whatever recipe is taken as a basis, you must follow a few general rules:

• fresh waves for cooking the vast majority of dishes must first be boiled in one or more waters, but in any case, the first broth must be drained and then washed with cold water;
• if it was not possible to process and cook these mushrooms immediately after picking or buying, it is advisable to leave them whole and unwashed in the refrigerator;
• you should definitely use clean knives and kitchen utensils, moreover, it is important that these items are not made of copper, tin or cast iron;
• ready-made dishes from boiled, stewed or fried waves cannot be stored in the refrigerator for more than a day in order to avoid poisoning;
• canned pickles or marinades from these mushrooms should be eaten as soon as possible after the jar has been opened.

I would especially like to dwell on some of the intricacies of the recipe for such a popular method of harvesting flakes for future use as pickling.

The so-called cold salting of these mushrooms (without heat treatment) has many of its features:

• in order to avoid poisoning, it is carried out only in wooden barrels or in glass jars;
• at the stage of soaking the waves, in addition to salt, a little citric acid (2 g per 1 liter) must be added to the water;
• it is necessary to ensure that the mushrooms are completely immersed in the brine;
• after soaking, be sure to rinse the waves;
• you can eat such salting no earlier than 40-60 days after preparation;
• before serving salty waves to the table, they are poured with clean cold water for 1-2 hours in order to get rid of excess salt;
• store such mushrooms in the cold at a temperature of 0 to 10 ° C, but not more than 12 months.

There are also the necessary rules for the “hot” method prepared for future use – canned in a glass container along with spices and brine:

• after soaking, the mushrooms are washed and allowed to drain excess water;
• then the waves are poured with clean water and boiled for 15-25 minutes until the product settles on the bottom of the pan;
• these mushrooms are preserved in half-liter jars washed with soda and sterilized, rolling them up with tin lids;
• such waves can be served at the table after 2 weeks;
• store blanks from these mushrooms should be in a dark place at a temperature of 16-18 ° C.

Violation of the rules of use for those who have gastrointestinal diseases

It must be remembered that the use of any food from volushki is contraindicated for people with acute and chronic diseases of the digestive system.

In particular, poisoning with these mushrooms can occur in those who suffer from:

• low acidity of gastric juice;
• cholecystitis;
• pancreatitis or gastritis.

Waves are prohibited for those who have had their gallbladder or pancreas removed, as well as if less than six months have passed after any operation on the digestive organs.

The list of contraindications also includes individual intolerance to these mushrooms, which can result in an allergic reaction.

Other reasons

Despite the rich chemical composition and beneficial properties of volushki, they, like all mushrooms, are difficult to digest in the stomach, are a very strong allergen, and are also capable of accumulating toxic, radioactive substances and heavy metal salts contained in air, soil and water. Moreover, any non-compliance with the rules of pre-treatment or preparation of flakes further increases the risk of food poisoning by them.

That is why any dishes from these mushrooms must be excluded from the diet of pregnant and lactating women, as well as children under 7 years old.

After the age of seven, mushrooms should be given to children very carefully and in small quantities. Doctors advise to start with relatively safe oyster mushrooms or champignons that have undergone thorough heat treatment. Of the forest mushrooms, porcini and saffron mushrooms are considered optimal for further gradual “acquaintance”. It is advisable to give the child a taste of volnushki as late as possible, and only in boiled or stewed form. Fried mushrooms, marinades or pickles are not dishes for the children’s table.

Symptoms of wave poisoning

Symptoms and signs of volleyball poisoning usually become noticeable after 1-6 hours and manifest as severe gastrointestinal distress:

• feeling of weakness, dizziness;
• bouts of nausea, turning into vomiting;
• stomach ache;
• loose stool occurs.

This picture is typical for 4 (the easiest) type of mushroom poisoning. The disease usually lasts 1-2 days, then recovery gradually occurs.

Symptoms of botulinum toxin poisoning appear 0,5-3 days after eating an infected product:

• headache;
• difficulty swallowing;
• feeling of dry mouth;
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
• convulsions;
• blurred vision (objects double or blur before the eyes).

You should know that botulism is deadly. If one or two signs of such poisoning are found, it is necessary, without wasting time, to consult a doctor. Self-medication in this case is contraindicated.

On how to recognize mushroom poisoning and how to properly collect the “gifts of the forest” to avoid health problems, in the video:

First aid for poisoning with waves

Even despite the fact that poisoning with waves in case of improper preparation, as a rule, does not lead to death, first aid measures should be provided to the victim in any case. They will improve the condition of the body and will help to eliminate toxic substances.

It is required to induce vomiting as soon as possible. To do this, dissolve in a glass of warm water 1 tbsp. l. table salt or 1 tsp. mustard powder and give the victim a drink. It will even be enough to give a person with signs of poisoning to drink cool clean water, and then press hard with two fingers on the root of his tongue. This will cause a gag reflex and help flush out the stomach. At the end of the procedure, you need to give the person suffering from poisoning activated charcoal (10 tablets) or any similar sorbent.

Also (if there is no liquid stool) it is necessary to put a cleansing enema.

Then you should put the victim of mushroom poisoning in bed with warm heating pads applied to the legs and arms. Be sure to drink it abundantly with strong tea or lightly salted water – this will help the body replenish fluid losses.

Treatment for poisoning with waves

If this is necessary, the doctor will refer the victim of poisoning with wavelets for inpatient treatment in the toxicology department. There, he will undergo a gastric lavage using a medical tube. In addition, a saline laxative will be prescribed and intoxication of the body will be carried out using intravenous infusions of the necessary solutions and drugs.

When should I see a doctor?

In case of any suspicion of mushroom poisoning, the doctor should be called without fail and as soon as possible.

Delay is especially dangerous if:

• poisoning is severe (accompanied by convulsions, hallucinations or loss of consciousness);
• it cannot be ruled out that it could not have been caused by a wave, but by another poisonous mushroom that accidentally fell into a basket or into a dish being prepared;
• poisoned pregnant women, children or the elderly.

All mushrooms that have not been eaten must be preserved; their laboratory study will allow a more accurate diagnosis.

And finally, even if all the signs of poisoning have disappeared after a few days, you should still not neglect the advice of a doctor: serious complications may appear later.

Conclusion

Wavelet poisoning, as a rule, can occur due to the fact that these mushrooms were poorly processed after collection, the dish was cooked incorrectly, or stored in violation of the necessary conditions. In addition, for some categories of people, in particular, pregnant and lactating women, children under 7 years old and people with certain health problems, it is strictly contraindicated to eat flakes. Despite the fact that poisoning with these mushrooms usually proceeds relatively easily and does not lead to death, at the first sign of intoxication, it is necessary to immediately provide the victim with first aid measures and consult a doctor.