12 Poisoned in One Week: DOH-CAR raises alarm over consuming wild mushrooms

Tabuk City, Kalinga – The Department of Health–Cordillera Administrative Region (DOH-CAR) has recorded 12 cases of mushroom poisoning across the region from June 8 to 14, prompting health officials to warn the public against consuming wild or foraged mushrooms during the rainy season.

As rains continue to fall across the Cordillera, wild mushrooms have become more abundant in forests, farms, and even residential areas. While many residents traditionally gather wild mushrooms for food, health authorities cautioned that distinguishing edible species from poisonous ones can be difficult and potentially dangerous.

According to DOH-CAR, all 12 recorded cases were linked to the consumption of wild mushrooms. The affected individuals, aged 29 to 56, included 10 males and two females.

The agency warned that some poisonous mushrooms closely resemble edible varieties, making visual identification unreliable. Consuming toxic mushrooms can result in severe illness and, in some cases, death.

“The public is strongly advised to avoid eating wild mushrooms unless they have been properly identified by trained experts or reliable sources. Some poisonous mushrooms closely resemble safe, edible species and may cause severe illness or even death if ingested,” the advisory stated.

Among the poisonous mushroom species identified by DOH-CAR are Chlorophyllum molybdites (false parasol), Psilocybe species, and Amanita muscaria. Symptoms of poisoning may appear within 30 minutes to 24 hours after consumption, depending on the type of mushroom ingested.

Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, dizziness, and confusion. Health officials also emphasized that cooking or processing mushrooms does not always eliminate their toxins.

The latest cases add to previous incidents in the region. DOH-CAR recorded 11 mushroom poisoning cases in Benguet and Mountain Province from May to June 2024,

while 17 individuals were affected in Tabuk City, Kalinga, in August 2023 alone.

Health authorities are urging the public to avoid consuming wild mushrooms unless their safety has been verified by experts.