Right on time for the start of the mushroom season, Öko-Test published buying tips.
You should pay attention to this when shopping in the supermarket.
Kassel - whether fried, boiled or breaded,
mushrooms
enjoy widespread popularity.
September is generally considered to be the beginning of the mushroom season in
Germany
.
In time for the start of the season, the popular product is also coming back to the supermarkets.
Öko-Test has now published buying tips for this.
Mushrooms: Terrifying sample in the supermarket - mold and maggots found
Not only Öko-Test has dealt with the matter of fungus.
Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb) has also dealt with mushrooms.
In their SUPER.MARKT format, mushrooms were scrutinized by various retailers.
The expert Wolfgang Bivour examined the test purchases of the rbb.
His verdict from 2019 is sobering.
Only 4 of the 15 samples were edible.
In addition to chanterelles, boletus and mushrooms were also examined.
The expert found mold and maggots in the samples.
Mushrooms from Germany - that's why they are often only found in the forest
Mushrooms native to Germany are rarely found in supermarkets.
The reason for this is the "Ordinance on the Protection of Wildlife Animals and Plants".
This puts most of the native mushrooms under protection.
This means that these can only be collected in small quantities by private individuals for their own consumption.
Commercial distribution is prohibited with a few special permits.
That is why the mushrooms in the supermarket often come from neighboring countries such as Poland or the Czech Republic.
It has not yet been possible to cultivate the local mushroom varieties, they only grow under certain conditions.
The #mushroom season is open.
Did you know that mushrooms are special living beings and are subject to restrictions?
https://t.co/KlHVbnrTLl pic.twitter.com/7wHOdJkdNB
- Federal Environment Ministry (@bmu) October 25, 2016
Be careful when buying: rotten mushrooms carry the risk of poisoning
Some mushrooms can cause poisoning through their own toxicity.
The most prominent example of this in this country is the fly agaric.
To distinguish such poisoning from food poisoning by mushrooms, it is called spurious mushroom poisoning.
In the case of fake mushroom poisoning, the person concerned only thinks that they have eaten poisonous mushrooms.
Often the symptoms are of a psychological nature, however gastrointestinal problems can actually occur when overeating or consuming rotten mushrooms.
According to Öko-Test, the symptoms range from mild nausea to severe diarrhea and vomiting.
Strong symptoms can be life-threatening for members of risk groups.
In addition to toddlers and babies, these risk groups also include people with a weak immune system and older people.
Almost every region in Germany has its own poison emergency hotline for poison emergencies.
A detailed list of these can be found at the Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety.
Öko-Test reveals: This is how you recognize fresh mushrooms
The following table summarizes what you should pay attention to when buying the individual varieties:
Mushrooms | |
Fresh features: | hard, dry, light-colored handle ends, light-colored cut surfaces and lamellae, the edge of the hat overgrown with style, a mushroom-earthy smell |
Negative characteristics: | dark brown areas, soft, brownish lamellae, open underside |
Chanterelles | |
Fresh features: | yellow, dry, crumbly |
Negative characteristics: | brown, mushy consistency |
Boletus | |
Fresh features: | hard, no bump after pressing |
Special tip: | It's best to buy sliced. |
But there are also some general things to look out for when buying mushrooms:
Avoid long transport routes - buy regionally if possible.
It is best to buy mushrooms loose - avoid condensation.
Do not buy mushrooms that are discolored or have bruises on the stem.
Öko-Test: This is how the mushrooms from the supermarket stay fresh
Once the freshest mushroom specimens have been found, they must also be kept fresh.
It is advisable to store the mushrooms in paper bags.
The mushrooms can "breathe" best in these bags.
The mushrooms must not be squeezed in the bags, however.
If the mushrooms are stored in a cool cellar or in the refrigerator, they can be kept for three to four days.
Once mushrooms have been briefly blanched in salted boiling water, they can be frozen.
They can be stored here for up to four months.
The mushrooms can also be stored in dried form.
To do this, they should be cut into slices and dried in the open oven at 40 degrees.
The dried mushrooms can be stored in an airtight container for up to a year.
(luc)
