Are wild edible mushrooms in city parks safe to eat?

Assuming you know your mushrooms, there is still an added risk from the park mushroom vs. the forest mushroom of the same variety. I would personally fear contamination from animal feces and herbicides. read more

As for the herbicides, I would not make the assumption that something growing in a city park is equally safe with conventionally (non-organic) foods. The herbicides in the park are not selected or applied under guidelines for agricultural use. read more

One of the dangers of collecting mushrooms in the wild, Cotter said, is that of toxic look-alikes — poisonous mushrooms that resemble edible ones. He pointed to the green-spored parasol (Chlorophyllum molybdites, at right) as a classic example. “This is the most commonly consumed poisonous mushroom in North America,” he said. read more

If you spend any time outdoors, you've probably seen mushrooms growing under trees or in your yard, but if you're out camping or just enjoy foraging, here are some ways to tell if the mushroom you're looking at is edible. read more