USDA Develops Test Strips to Identify Poisonous Mushrooms Before You Eat One

Of the 10,000 larger fungi found in North America, less than 100 are considered "dangerously poisonous." But the ones that are can be fatal to humans and dogs that ingest them. One of the most dangerous is the aptly named Death Cap. Tragically, the Death Cap closely resembles the often foraged Springtime Amanita. Fortunately, scientists have developed a portable test strip that can quickly and accurately detect the difference. And the test can also be used to test the urine of someone that may have consumed a poisonous mushroom. A company called Amatoxtest is working to make the strips available to buy later this year.