There's relatively new research (from 2023) showing that there's more variation in toxicity among different death caps than previously thought. And apparently, the Californian varieties are less toxic.
Each death cap individual possesses a unique suite of MSDINs, and toxin genes are significantly differentiated between Californian and European samples.
The poisonous European mushroom Amanita phalloides (the “death cap”) is invading California. Whether the death caps’ toxic secondary metabolites are evolving as it invades is unknown. We developed a bioinformatic pipeline to identify the MSDIN genes underpinning toxicity and probed 88 death cap...
www.nature.com
Maybe it's similar to chili peppers. Some jalapeños are incredibly spicy, while others you can eat by the bushelful with no ill effects.
OK, i know such cases, but the context would be different. Someone gathers some mushrooms. They smell well but look strange. People check phone apps to receive no coherent answer.
Then people would go to FB groups, post poorly taken photos and someone says, "oh, i know, it is *use any unknown name for a mushroom*. I gather them every autumn; cook them with a lot of butter, eat with potatoes and vodka; they are great!"
This is a traditional recipe for disaster, but perhaps a lot of vodka is the reason that traditional mushroom-gatherers are still alive.
But seriously, I joined a couple of groups and they served as a strong deterrent against foraging. Mushroom apps are not helpful either.
I never saw anyone recommending to dehydrate them, though. Usually people mistakenly gather wrong mushrooms and consume them. Mushroom gathering is not to save money, it is to have fun. The prosecutors have to talk to a couple of foragers to see the difference between them and EP.
The whole situation is very different. Mushroom foragers make mistakes because, having walked around for a long time, they get hungry and want to eat. It is a very different behavior. It is also a group activity.
This Salinas group is typical. A) it is a group, typically weekend pass time. B) They shared their forage. A very typical setup.
I would also like to know if the group from Salinas consisted of immigrants. The same mushrooms in different parts of the world look different. So it is easier to make a mistake of "i know what it is" type. Usually, such people used to be "experienced foragers" back home. Anyhow - I wish the Salinas group to get well soon. It is a common mistake to make.
