Tasty wild mushrooms such as porcini mushrooms, meadow mushrooms and chanterelles are particularly popular with collectors. They taste great with meat, but can also be used as a vegetarian meat substitute - for example as mushroom schnitzel, in soups and sauces, in stews, casseroles, etc. However, it is important to process the collected goods as quickly as possible in order not to risk food poisoning.

Mushrooms have a very limited shelf life

Process wild mushrooms on the same day

Depending on the species, mushrooms consist of up to 75 percent protein and also contain a lot of water. The mushroom protein breaks down very quickly and forms toxic decomposition products that can quickly lead to food poisoning. For this reason, you should not only keep collected wild mushrooms, but also goods bought in the supermarket, but process them immediately. This applies in particular to the frequent tufts of ink that sometimes melt on the way home.

Transport mushrooms correctly

You should always use a wicker basket or a wicker basket to transport the mushrooms you have collected or bought. The mushrooms lie next to each other in an airy and loose manner, so that no pressure points can form. Mushrooms that are mashed quickly become mushy and spoil all the more quickly. Plastic bags and handle bags are not suitable for transporting mushrooms.

Leave damaged mushrooms in the forest

Only take young, crunchy specimens with you from the forest and supermarket. On the other hand, you should leave mushrooms with numerous brown spots, rotten, badly eaten, dried-on, as well as older and very young fruiting bodies. Mushrooms keep better the fresher they are. In the case of wild mushrooms, you should also watch out for an infestation of golden mold, which often covers the underside of the cap, but also the cap and stalk: This is poisonous, which is why infested mushrooms should also not be taken away.

Store mushrooms in a cool and airy place

The shelf life of fresh mushrooms varies: While ink caps don't even last from morning to evening, freshly collected chanterelles can be kept in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator for another two to three days. However, it is important to store the mushrooms in a cool and dark place. Species at risk of being eaten by maggots, such as porcini mushrooms, should also be kept cool and dry for a few days, provided they have been cleaned and checked for maggots beforehand.

tips

In supermarkets, mushrooms are often sold in plastic trays. If possible, choose loose goods, as packaged mushrooms and oyster mushrooms spoil very quickly. You can also freeze or otherwise preserve raw and prepared mushrooms to keep them longer.

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Vegetable garden