NEXT AVENUE - SPECIAL SECTION
If all of this assures me that I have 100% positively identified the specimen as a wild edible, I try a very small amount, either raw or cooked depending on what the research says is best and safest, and then I wait.
If I feel no ill effects within 24 hours (and if the thing tastes good in the first place), I go back and harvest more of it. So far, this method has worked for me, but a couple of experts I spoke with said there's an even better way to safely forage.
Top Tips for Foraging Safely Adam Haritan, creator of the popular website and YouTube channel “Learn Your Land,” is a self-taught expert who’s been foraging near his home in Pennsylvania for over 10 years. Apart from finding a seasoned forager to show you the ropes, or taking classes through your local university extension or community education, here are Haritan’s tips for foraging safely: “If you’re not one hundred percent sure, don’t eat it! It sounds obvious, but I know people who have gotten really sick because they were ninety eight percent sure and took a chance.” “Don’t forage in areas that are contaminated. Get as far away from roads that are even a little bit busy. Plants — and mushrooms especially — take up heavy metals from the soil.”
“A good general rule of thumb is to always cook your wild mushrooms, for many reasons. Morels, for example, are toxic raw, but the toxin is destroyed when you cook it. For nutritional absorption, it’s also better to cook most mushrooms.”
“If it’s a new species to you, try a very small amount. Cook it, eat it, wait twenty-four to forty-eight hours, and keep the rest in case you have a reaction and someone needs to identify it.”
“Always consult at least two sources if you’re foraging on your own. Use two field guides; post photos on your Facebook group; watch multiple videos. The more sources the better, and be very discerning. Find books, websites and videos that look reputable.”
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