ABSTRACT
Mycology, or the study of mushroom fungi, was origi nated by the ancient Greeks who sought to distinguish poisonous mushrooms from the edible varieties (1). Today, the gathering and eating of mushrooms remain a popular pastime in Europe and has recently become pop ular in the United States, partly because of increased interest in “organic” foods (2). In the last decade, increased interest in the collection and consumption of uncultivated mushrooms has resulted in more frequent episodes of serious poisonings in the U.S. Increased mushroom foraging among organic food enthusiasts and various ethnic groups, as well as articles in the lay press describing these delicacies, has contributed to the increased incidence of mushroom poisoning (3,4).
