Should You Eat Mushrooms Growing in Horse Manure?

You may have stumbled upon mushrooms popping up in piles of horse manure and wondered – can I eat these? With their spontaneous appearance, it’s tempting to view these fungi as free edibles ripe for the taking. However, most experts advise against consuming mushrooms growing in horse poop due to safety concerns. While some may be harmless, the risks tend to outweigh any benefits.

An Overview of Wild Mushrooms in Manure

Before digging into whether you can eat them, it’s helpful to understand wild mushrooms in manure a bit better:

• Mushrooms naturally spring up in manure since it provides ideal growing conditions The decomposing matter supplies nutrients while retaining moisture

• Spores are present in the manure or travel through the air When conditions allow, the spores germinate and produce mushrooms.

• Dozens of mushroom species can grow in manure. Some edible, some inedible or mildly toxic, and some deadly poisonous. Most have gilled undersides.

• Identifying wild mushrooms is challenging. Edible and toxic species often look similar to an untrained eye.

• Poisonous manure mushrooms include potentially deadly Galerina and Conocybe species. Deadly Amanitas also occur though less common.

• Picky wild mushrooms with unique habitat requirements rarely grow directly in dung. More likely are adaptable generalist species.

Now let’s look at the risks and precautions regarding eating manure-grown mushrooms.

Toxicity Risks of Wild Mushrooms

The foremost reason experts caution against eating wild mushrooms found growing in manure piles is the risk of toxicity:

• Many potentially deadly poisonous mushroom species flourish in manure, including the destroying angels (Amanita species) and death caps (Amanita phalloides).

• Conocybe filaris and Galerina marginata are two lethal mushrooms that frequently pop up in manure. They contain deadly amatoxins that can kill in just a few days.

• Identifying mushrooms accurately takes extensive experience and expertise. Since some edible species share similarities with poisonous ones, the margin of error is dangerously slim for beginners.

• Individual reactions vary, and some mushrooms not normally considered toxic can sicken or kill due to allergies or toxicity level fluctuations.

• Cooking or blanching does not deactivate toxins in mushrooms. Only proper identification prevents poisoning.

Consuming a toxic wild mushroom can have deadly consequences. While exact species growing in manure may differ by region, the presence of hazardous lookalikes is too perilous to chance.

Risk of Contamination and Spoilage

Beyond inherent toxicity risks, other factors add to the potential peril of eating mushrooms growing amidst horse manure:

• Bacteria, parasites, and viruses in animal feces raise the risk of foodborne illnesses if consumed raw. Cooking thoroughly can reduce this risk.

• Mold, rot, and insect infestations are more common on mushrooms arising in the high-moisture environment of dung. Taking care to avoid spoiled specimens is critical.

• Mushrooms can accumulate heavy metals and other toxins from contaminated manure. This depends on what the animal ingested.

• Without knowing the horse’s full health history, medications, and diet, it’s impossible to judge potential risks. Their pasture and feed could introduce various hazards.

While not guaranteed, the unsanitary growing conditions found in manure elevate the chances of contamination, spoilage, or absorption of unsafe substances.

Precautions If Harvesting Manure Mushrooms

If you dare sample wild mushrooms from manure, extreme caution is necessary:

• First, develop extensive skills identifying regional mushrooms accurately through formal instruction and guided field experience over several seasons. Never rely solely on field guides or folk wisdom.

• Verify the horse’s health, medications, and diet to avoid potential toxicity passed on from contaminated feed. Mushrooms absorb what’s present.

• Inspect specimens meticulously for signs of spoilage like mold, rot, worms, or excessive dirt.

• Start with a small portion and wait 48 hours before consuming more to check for delayed reactions. Having a sample available aids medical treatment.

• Employ proper identification steps such as making spore prints to conclusively identify the species. Cross-check distinguishing features like gills, stem, habitat, etc.

• Cook all mushrooms thoroughly to reduce but not eliminate toxicity risks. Freeze dried samples for medical analysis if reactions occur.

Consuming wild mushrooms of any kind requires meticulous identification and habitat verification skills acquired only through extensive formal training and experience. For beginners, avoiding mushrooms growing in horse manure is the safest choice.

Alternative Uses for Manure Mushrooms

While snacking on manure mushrooms is generally not recommended, some alternate uses for these fungi include:

• Adding to compost piles to break down material along with manure

• Letting grow in gardens to improve soil health

• Drawing spore prints for scientific study and mushroom identification practice.

• Photographing for artistic interest and nature studies

• Using fully cooked in dyeing projects where mushrooms produce unique colors

So while most experts advise against eating unidentified mushrooms found growing in horse manure, that doesn’t mean you can’t find other fun uses for these fascinating fungi.

Foraging Edible Mushrooms Safely

If you wish to forage for delectable wild mushrooms, it’s best to learn how to properly identify edible species growing in known, clean environments.

• Develop identification skills under the guidance of experts through clubs, guided forages, or certification programs. Only hands-on training over time can build these specialized skills.

• Always confirm multiple distinguishing characteristics like spore print, gills, stem, and ecological niche when identifying. Cross-check field guides and keys.

• Harvest mushrooms growing on clean ground in nature, not those arising from manure or potentially contaminated sites.

• Start by sampling edible species growing in your region. For example, morels in spring or chanterelles in summer and fall for many areas.

• Use a mesh bag designated for mushroom foraging to keep them clean.

• Refrain from consuming raw wild mushrooms. Cook thoroughly and start with a small portion, waiting 48 hours before eating more.

Learning how to positively identify edible wild mushrooms and collecting them in their natural, pristine habitat is the safest way to forage. With improper identification skills, consuming mushrooms growing in horse manure remains an extremely risky endeavor.

The Takeaway on Eating Mushrooms from Manure

While the sight of mushrooms arising spontaneously from manure piles may tempt some to view them as found food, experts strongly advise against consuming such specimens raw or cooked. The inherent challenges and risks of proper identification coupled with potential toxicity and contamination concerns outweigh any possible benefits. For beginners especially, sticking to mushrooms cultivated commercially or found in clean, natural settings is by far the safest choice. With substantial formal training over years, seasoned experts may have success identifying certain edible species growing in manure, but they still caution to employ extreme care. If you choose to sample wild mushrooms growing in horse dung, start with microscopic portions to check for delayed reactions, cook thoroughly, and be prepared to provide samples for analysis in case of illness. However, the best advice for most remains simply avoiding consumption of mushrooms arising from animal feces.