CDC and Food Safety Newsletter
Updated March 25, 2021
MMWR: Poisonous Mushrooms Cause 1,400 Emergency Room Visits Annually
Gathering wild mushrooms from the woods, or foraging, is a popular activity, but it’s critical to make sure the mushrooms are not poisonous before eating them. Eating mushrooms gathered in the wild can make people very sick, causing serious illness and death. People should not eat wild mushrooms unless an expert identifies them as safe.
A new CDC report shows that accidental mushroom poisoning causes nearly 1,400 emergency department visits every year. The report found that 9% of patients experience serious health problems such as an irregular heartbeat, kidney or liver failure, and seizures. Read the full article in MMWR.
CDC Adds Population Survey Data to FoodNet Fast
The Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) periodically surveys people in its surveillance area to learn more about foods and behaviors linked to diarrheal illness.
Data from the latest survey is now available in FoodNet Fast, CDC’s online toolbox for accessing information reported to FoodNet. Data on the Population Survey Tool includes responses to questions about food consumption, contact with animals, dietary practices, food handling practices, and raw milk.
The tool also lets you see how responses vary for different groups of people, with the option to filter results based on age group, gender, race and ethnicity, geographic location, and season.