POISONOUS: The kulat asu look fresh and edible.
KAPIT: Kulat asu may look like mushrooms that are plump with promise for a tasty stir-fry, but these wild mushrooms actually pack a poisonous punch.
thesundaypost recently found the mushrooms thriving on a patch of grass here and decided to check whether they are edible with a local expert, who often collects wild mushrooms in the jungle.
She pointed out that nature offers many clues on whether wild mushrooms are edible.
“One of the safest ways to ensure it is edible is if there are lots of insects and flies surrounding the mature mushroom.
“Then, it is quite safe. Never the less, the risk factor is always present in the wild mushrooms that come from the ground,” she said.
The woman said in the case of kulat asu, insects such as flies will stay far away because of its poison.
According to Wikipedia, mushroom poisoning, which is know as mycetism, occurs due to the ingestion of toxic substances present in poisonous mushrooms.
Symptoms varying from slight gastrointestinal discomfort to death can occur within minutes or after several days.