Citizens warned of poisonous mushrooms

Writer: Wang Jingli  |  Editor: Holly Wang  |  From: Shenzhen Daily  |  Updated: 2021-03-10

The poisonous Amanita exitialis. File photo

A resident recently spotted a set of soft mushrooms on Wutong Mountain, which were later confirmed to be the poisonous Amanita exitialis, or “Guangzhou Destroying Angel,” according to sznews.com.

This led to the city’s food safety office immediately urging related departments to check for poisonous mushrooms and set up warning signs in other parks and mountains such as Wutong Mountain, Tanglang Mountain, Fenghuang Mountain, Qiniang Mountain, Bijia Mountain, Yangtai Mountain and Lianhua Hill Park.

Amanita mushrooms are mostly found in East Asia. Most of these mushrooms are fatally poisonous. Amanita exitialis is commonly found in Guangdong Province and is also locally known as “goose ointment.” The mushrooms are usually white or cream and are about 7-10cm in size.

Experts said the mushrooms have been spotted in many places in Shenzhen, including Wutong Mountain, Fenghuang Mountain and Yinhu Mountain.

Three mushroom poisoning cases related to this mushroom were reported in Shenzhen last year.

From 2000 to 2014, there have been at least 99 “goose ointment” poisoning cases including 48 fatal cases in the country, according to the report.

Residents are advised to call an ambulance immediately and to induce vomiting upon accidentally eating poisonous mushrooms.