Mushroom Poisons

The intake of mushrooms has increased recently, for various health reasons. Furthermore, some people ingest particular mushrooms for their hallucinogenic properties, which has resulted in a rise in mushroom poisonings. Particularly, eating of mushrooms collected from the wild may have significant potenteil of exposing consumers to hazardous levels of poisoning. This book chapter reviews the health, nutritive values and noxious substances present in mushrooms. The chapter also will provide information to consumers to assitst in the early detection, investigation, and treatment of mushroom contaminants. Finally, the chapter informs the consumer on how to avoid mushroom poisoning in everyday life. Pleurotus florida, a delightful edible fungus with significant medicinal potential that is widely produced on an economical basis in several parts of the world, belongs to the genus Pleurotus. Amatoxin poisoning, which leads to hepatocellular damage, is a serious problem in the health system in certain countries and could among the commonest reasons for liver transplantation.