Sacramento health officials are warning residents about the dangers of consuming wild mushrooms after three new cases of poisoning were reported in the county. Health officials said the three individuals had accidentally picked and eaten “death cap” or “western angel” mushrooms. Between November 2025 and May 2026, there have been increasing reports of severe liver damage caused by mushroom poisoning, with four adults killed and at least four liver transplants statewide. During that time, California Poison Control identified 49 cases of mushroom poisoning across Northern California and the Central Coast.”With poisonings continuing to increase across California, we want residents to understand that foraging wild mushrooms carries significant risk,” Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye said in a news release. “Toxic mushrooms can be difficult to distinguish from edible varieties and can cause severe illness or death. The safest choice amid this ongoing situation is to avoid wild mushroom foraging entirely.” Health officials urge the public to buy mushrooms from grocery stores and exercise caution when buying mushrooms from street vendors. Initial symptoms of mushroom poisoning, including watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and dehydration can happen within six to 24 hours following ingestion of a toxic mushroom and can go away within a day, according to officials. However, officials said brief improvement of symptoms can be deceptive, as serious to fatal liver damage can develop within 48 to 96 hours after eating the mushrooms. If you have eaten a poisonous mushroom, officials said to seek help immediately and call the CPCS hotline at 1-800-222-1222. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. —
Sacramento health officials are warning residents about the dangers of consuming wild mushrooms after three new cases of poisoning were reported in the county.
Health officials said the three individuals had accidentally picked and eaten “death cap” or “western angel” mushrooms.
Between November 2025 and May 2026, there have been increasing reports of severe liver damage caused by mushroom poisoning, with four adults killed and at least four liver transplants statewide.
During that time, California Poison Control identified 49 cases of mushroom poisoning across Northern California and the Central Coast.
“With poisonings continuing to increase across California, we want residents to understand that foraging wild mushrooms carries significant risk,” Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye said in a news release. “Toxic mushrooms can be difficult to distinguish from edible varieties and can cause severe illness or death. The safest choice amid this ongoing situation is to avoid wild mushroom foraging entirely.”
Health officials urge the public to buy mushrooms from grocery stores and exercise caution when buying mushrooms from street vendors.
Initial symptoms of mushroom poisoning, including watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and dehydration can happen within six to 24 hours following ingestion of a toxic mushroom and can go away within a day, according to officials.
However, officials said brief improvement of symptoms can be deceptive, as serious to fatal liver damage can develop within 48 to 96 hours after eating the mushrooms.
If you have eaten a poisonous mushroom, officials said to seek help immediately and call the CPCS hotline at 1-800-222-1222.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel