More than half of Swedes cannot identify a poisonous mushroom
Authorities are urging foragers to eat only species they can identify as edible in Sweden.
More than half of people in Sweden cannot identify a poisonous mushroom, and authorities are warning foragers to eat only species they know are edible here.
A new survey found that just over half of respondents could not name or recognise a poisonous mushroom found in Swedish forests. One in three said they could identify three or four forest mushrooms. Novus surveyed 1,058 people aged 18 to 84 from 30 July to 5 August.
Sweden’s Poison Information Centre received more than 1,700 calls about mushroom poisoning in 2025. White death caps can be mistaken for champignons, while suspected poisoning from deadly webcaps can cause permanent kidney damage.
Safety guidance says people should pick mushrooms individually and eat only species they can identify with certainty as edible in Sweden. Beginners should avoid white-gilled mushrooms and brown mushrooms with brown gills. The agency also provides multilingual advice in more than 30 languages.
Anyone who may have eaten a poisonous mushroom, or whose child has tasted an unknown mushroom, should call 112 and ask for the Poison Information Centre immediately. Keep a sample for identification. For less urgent questions, the centre answers 010-456 6700 around the clock.
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