SA Health has warned South Australians about the risks associated with foraging wild mushrooms.

Following a cooler, wetter summer, South Australia is expected to have the ideal growing conditions for wild mushrooms in areas like parks, backyards in mulch or compost, roadsides, paddocks, nature reserves, and forests across the state.

SA Health has had reports of the appearance of Death Cap mushrooms – Amanita Phalloides – which are extremely poisonous and must not be eaten. Fatal Death Cap mushrooms are extremely difficult to distinguish from other wild mushrooms and can resemble edible species.

Wild mushrooms can pop up quickly and may look inviting to touch and eat, but ingesting them can cause serious illness or death.

The advice from SA Health is to not to eat wild mushrooms, and to keep a close eye on curious children and pets, especially while outside.

Symptoms of mushroom poisoning include severe stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, which may take several hours to appear and can last up to three days.

Poisoning from several varieties, including Death Cap mushrooms, may have delayed onset of symptoms – up to 24-hours – and can cause life-threatening liver damage, or even death.

For more information on mushroom poisoning, visit SA Health.

What do the experts say?

Public Health Physician Dr Kate Murton says: "Do not eat wild mushrooms."

Around half the calls made to the Poisons Information Centre in recent years relate to mushroom poisoning involving children under five.

Our strong advice is do not eat wild mushrooms – it’s not worth the risk. If you suspect you or someone you know has eaten a wild mushroom, do not wait for symptoms to appear. Contact the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 for advice and always call triple zero (000) in an emergency.

If you suspect your pet has eaten wild mushrooms, seek veterinary attention immediately.

Dr Teresa Lebel, Senior Botanist-Mycologist, Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia, says: "There is no simple way to tell if a mushroom is safe to eat or not."

Wild mushrooms are fascinating. Some can be bright and colourful, and some have special toxic protection to ensure they flourish by not being eaten – including by humans.

Discover, appreciate, photograph them and leave them growing in nature. The strong advice is people should only eat mushrooms from a reliable supermarket, greengrocer or food business.