There are more than 30 varieties of Dunki. The description of the appearance of the fruiting bodies of representatives of the genus Paxillus has common features. The shape of the cap is wavy, at a certain angle it resembles a pig’s snout.

The fruiting body looks like a milk mushroom. The cap is fleshy and spreading. The shape can be elongated or round. The average size of the cap is 10-15 cm. Some specimens grow up to 35 cm.

According to the description, young fruits have a convex cap shape. With age, it becomes flattened, becomes dry and cracks. A concavity forms in the center. After rain, the dry and rough surface becomes sticky.

The color also varies. The pig is found in white, brown, olive, brown and black colors. The color of the leg is the same, only the shade changes.

Types of mushrooms and their distribution

There are a large number of varieties of pigs. All of them grow in deciduous and coniferous forests, and also love swampy areas. Dunki prefer a temperate climate, so they are often found in Europe, Asia and even North America.

Svinushka is a whole genus of mycelium. There are 35 species in total. The most common pigs are:

  • Thin. Such fruiting bodies are popularly known as Poddubniki. They sprout at the roots of fallen trees. Their cap is round and slightly wavy. The diameter often reaches 20 cm. The color is brown. As the cap ages, it takes on a gray tint. The leg is creamy, short, up to 8 cm long.
  • Alder. Distributed in most European countries. It is distinguished by a funnel-shaped hat, with a diameter of 6-8 cm. Alder pig has a brown color, a scaly structure, and has cracks. The pulp is yellow, there is no smell.
  • Felt (black pig). Grows only in coniferous forests. This pig mushroom has a large rounded hat, the edges of which are curved towards the stem. Color brown, brown. A black tint often appears. The leg is brown or brown, with a velvety surface.
  • Ear-shaped. It is distinguished by its small leg size (does not exceed 3 cm) and a large fan-shaped cap. Its dimensions reach 14 cm. The surface of the cap is rough, but becomes smooth with age. The color is light brown. The pulp is yellow and has a pine aroma.
  • Gigantic. This dunka has a huge cap size. Diameter - 25-30 cm. Wavy shape, white color. The species is widespread in Europe. It grows by mycelium in Russia, as well as the Caucasus.

Vernallis pig mushrooms (Paxillus Vernallis) are found in the forests of North America. This species is known for its symbiotic relationships with certain plants. It grows on birch and aspen.

Southern European countries suffer from the spread of another poisonous mycelium - Paxillus ammoniavirescens. It grows not only in the forest belt, but also in city parks and alleys. The appearance of the mushroom is similar to others. It has a spreading, fleshy cap of beige or olive color with a diameter of up to 15 cm. It is rough around the edges and smooth in the center. The leg is medium, 5-8 cm.

Is piggyback edible?

To beginning mushroom pickers, pig mushrooms often seem similar to other edible types of mycelium. This poisonous fruit grows in the same conditions as edible fruiting bodies.

Dunka was banned from collecting in 1993 due to a series of poisonings. The first known case of death dates back to 1944, when mycologist J. Sheffer tasted pig mushrooms. He had severe abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. Schaeffer died 17 days after the meal.

The mushroom is inedible. Harm from its use:

  • Svinushka mushrooms contain a dangerous toxin, the concentration of which remains high even after prolonged heat treatment of the fruit. Some varieties of mycelium contain the poison muscarine, the toxicity of which is comparable to the poison of the red fly agaric.
  • The product contains antigens, which, when entering the body, destroy the cell membranes of the mucous membrane of internal organs. The result of consuming such fruiting bodies is unpredictable. Anemia, nephropathy and renal failure may develop.
  • The pig mushroom contains chemical compounds based on heavy metals, as well as radioactive particles.

Svinushka is a poisonous mushroom; even its accidental consumption leads to allergic reactions, disruption of the functioning of internal organs and systems, severe poisoning and death. When you see a place where such mycelium grows, it is better to avoid it. If in doubt, it is better to show the find to an experienced mushroom picker, who will tell you whether these are false fruiting bodies or not.

Signs of poisoning

Pig mushrooms were previously considered edible, because signs of poisoning did not always appear. The reason is the different sensitivity of people to heavy metals and poisons contained in fruiting bodies.

People with health problems or children received the greatest harm. After consuming the mycelium for 1-3 hours, no symptoms appear. Later people are worried:

  • nausea;
  • vomit;
  • stomach ache;
  • diarrhea;
  • yellowness of the skin;
  • dizziness.

In case of poisoning, an increase in hemoglobin in the urine is observed. Kidney activity is also impaired. Urination becomes rare, and there is a risk of oligoanuria.

The benefits of pigs

The benefits and harms of pigs are often discussed. This type of mycelium is poisonous, but if used correctly it will not cause harm. The benefits of pork are the same as those from eating edible varieties of fruiting bodies. They are also rich in vitamins, amino acids and proteins, and contain a large number of microelements: magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, etc.

Eating such fruits is not dangerous if they are prepared correctly. They will not lead to poisoning or other consequences if:

  • Clean them within the first hour after collection.
  • Soak the peeled fruits for 24 hours in a saline solution with citric acid (this is important for removing poisons and heavy metals from the product).
  • Rinse the soaked fruits under running water and boil in salted water for 5-7 minutes.

The pig mushroom is dried and then prepared as desired: stewed with meat and vegetables, included in first courses, pickled or added to salads. Pig mushrooms are also stored for the winter. But it's better not to take risks.

Conclusion

Svinushka is a conditionally edible mushroom. Most varieties are saturated with poisons, heavy metals and radioactive particles. People living in villages continue to collect this mycelium and eat it. The main thing is to properly process it after collection, then the risk of poisoning will be minimized.

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What are pig mushrooms?

Svinushki are similar to milk mushrooms. The fleshy cap with curled edges in the center is concave, grows to 14–17 cm. In young specimens it is brown with an olive tint, in older specimens it is gray-brown. Feels dry and fluffy or smooth. In rainy, foggy weather it is sticky and unpleasant. If you press hard or cut off the edge, it will darken.


The inside of the mushroom is dense and cream-colored. The color can be different, yellow-brown spectrum. Doesn't smell. In summer, the basket often contains many wormy forest trophies.

The leg is small, within 10 cm, smooth, its color is often identical to the cap, but may differ in brownish yellowness. A characteristic feature of pigs is brownish false plates under the cap. They look like folds and are easily separated from the surface.

They can be found from the end of spring to the beginning of frost almost everywhere: they grow in colonies, rarely alone, in forests, swamps, under trees and bushes, on uprooted stumps and even in abandoned anthills and mosses. The mushroom loves moisture and shade. From one clearing you can collect a small basket full. They are even found under coniferous trees, but more often under oak and birch. Sometimes they even grow on trunks.

More than 35 years ago, the pig mushroom was recognized as conditionally edible; according to its taste, it was classified in the fourth category. And in modern reference books there is often information about its unsuitability for food and “mortal danger”.

Slender pig (Paxillus involutus)

Synonyms: pig, pig, pig, pig's ear, solokha, straw, dunka, cowshed.

Properties of pig mushrooms

The toxicity of the pig was first noted in October 1944: the German mycologist Julius Schaeffer, after eating pigs, felt unwell and died 17 days later from acute renal failure. Currently, the mushroom is considered poisonous, although symptoms of poisoning do not always appear or do not appear immediately. The toxicity of the pig is due to various reasons.

Firstly, the mushroom contains toxins (lectins) that are not destroyed even after repeated boiling.

Secondly, pigs can cause a severe allergic reaction. In the mid-1980s, Swiss physician Rene Flammer discovered the pig antigen, which is capable of entering into a chemical bond with the structures of cell membranes, fixing on the membrane of red blood cells and thereby provoking autoimmune reactions against one’s own red blood cells. Some time after consumption, the fungal antigen triggers an immune response, which consists of the production of antibodies that can damage cells that have pigweed antigens on their membranes. The destruction of red blood cells by antibodies causes hemolytic anemia and, as a consequence, nephropathy and renal failure due to damage to the renal glomeruli by fragments of destroyed red blood cells. Since the production of antibodies requires a certain time, the autoimmune reaction is most pronounced in people who have repeatedly consumed pork, especially if they have previously experienced gastrointestinal disorders after such food.

Thirdly, pigweed is a bioaccumulator of radioactive isotopes of cesium and copper.

Banned for sale in Russia since 1981.

The mushroom is dangerous primarily if consumed regularly and repeatedly.

Photo and description of the thin pig

The cap is 5–20 cm in diameter, fleshy, with a rolled edge, round to ear-shaped, olive-brown, yellow-brown to dark brown or rusty-brown, convex to funnel-shaped, dry to mucous, smooth or velvety. In wet weather, shiny and sticky. The plates are yellowish. The pulp is dense, becomes loose with age, yellowish, without any special smell or taste.

Leg 3–10 × 0.6–3 cm, lighter than the cap, smooth. When pressed and cut, all parts of the fruiting body turn brown.

It is found on soil and rotting wood (sometimes on tree trunks), in forests, fields, pastures, parks and squares, in cities, in garden plots. The fungus clearly gravitates towards anthropogenic conditions; it loves manured or nitrogen-fertilized soil, abandoned landfills, disturbed forest habitats - clearings, roadsides, ditches, holes, trampled edges, raspberry fields, inversions. Found everywhere from July to early November.

Similar species

A characteristic mushroom that has no doubles.

Pharmacological and medical properties of thin pork

Bioactive components capable of destroying chromosomes have been isolated from the tonka pig. It is currently unknown whether they also have carcinogenic and mutagenic effects or not. These substances were identified as the phenols involuton and involutin (the latter is responsible for browning when pressed and when cut).

In Chinese traditional medicine, the mushroom is used to relax muscles and as an anticonvulsant.

Despite the fact that mushroom pickers are still actively collecting thin mushroom, you should know that it is a poisonous mushroom and not recommended for food use. Fatal poisonings are known. The symptoms are as follows: vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain appear first. Soon after, the symptoms of intravascular hemolysis come to the fore: pallor, jaundice, decreased diuresis, the appearance of hemoglobin in the urine, and in severe cases - oligoanuria. Hemolysis can lead to numerous complications, including acute renal failure, shock, acute respiratory failure, and disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Fat pig (Paxillus atrotomentosus)

Family: Pigweeds (Paxillaceae).

Synonyms: black pig.

Photo and description of the fat pig

The mushroom is solid and massive. Cap 8-20 cm, pistachio to dark brown with dark zones and spots, velvety, dry. The plates are yellowish, brown with age, radiating, thick, with numerous bridges between them. The pulp is white or yellowish, with a sour or slightly bitter taste.

When cut and pressed, the plates and pulp slowly turn brown.

The leg is cigar-brown to black-brown, felt-velvety almost throughout its entire height, dense, short, eccentric to lateral.

The fungus grows in coniferous and mixed forests on roots, stumps and trunks, less often on rotting coniferous wood (pine, spruce), and much less often on deciduous wood and on soil. It is found throughout the forest zone of Russia from July to October.

Similar species

It differs from the poisonous pigfish (P. involutus) primarily in its velvety brown leg.

Pharmacological and medical properties

An interesting biochemical defense mechanism was discovered in the fat pig, which is triggered when the fruiting body is damaged, during which leukomentins located in the tissues are converted into atromenthin, butenolide and the food detergent osmundalactone. Apparently, the mechanism exists to repel damaging insect larvae.

Atrotomentin (a derivative of polyporic acid), which has antitumor activity, has been isolated from the fat pig.

Traditional and folk medicine

Like the tonka, the mushroom is used in Chinese traditional medicine for muscle relaxation and as an anticonvulsant.

Rules for collection and procurement for medicinal purposes

It is not collected in Russia for medicinal purposes.

Edible mushroom with low taste. Typically used for frying after pre-boiling.

Based on the book by M. Vishnevsky “Medicinal mushrooms. Great Encyclopedia"

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Photos of pigs

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Edibility Proponents' Arguments

Svinushka is well known to experienced mushroom pickers and is very popular. The first fruits appear long before other mushrooms and delight with a bountiful harvest until late autumn. Fans of the spring forest delicacy consider them very tasty. The question of whether it is possible to eat pig mushrooms will only make fans smile, because this mushroom is popularly called edible pig mushroom. You just need to boil it longer, from 20 to 40 minutes, after which you can cook as usual.

Proponents of edibility are not embarrassed by rumors of poisoning with this product. Inexperienced foragers can become poisoned if they place an inedible mushroom mixed with edible ones in a basket, which is quite enough to cause a food reaction. In addition, pig mushrooms are very similar in appearance to other poisonous mushrooms. You should know well what pigs look like so as not to confuse them, and then you can safely prepare delicious dishes from them and diversify your table.

The strongest argument in favor of edibility is that throughout our lives our grandparents loved to cook soup, roasts, and pickles from these mushrooms. The main thing is to know how to cook. Absolutely any product can be poisonous if not prepared correctly.

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True danger when eaten

Since 1984, pigs have been officially considered inedible. The composition of their pulp, chemical and toxicological properties have been studied and reliably established for many years. The mushroom is not only inedible, it is a dangerously poisonous mushroom. As it turned out, its pulp contains a strong poison, muscarine. This poison is so heat-resistant that it cannot be neutralized even after 3 hours of cooking. There is no point in preparing a dish of mushrooms after boiling for several hours; they will turn into mucus. The strength of the effect of this poison on the cellular structure of the human body is twice as strong as the activity of the red fly agaric, which is similar in composition and contained in the pulp. If you eat pork, acute or chronic intoxication will inevitably develop. With a large dose of poison, acute intoxication will appear literally half an hour after eating.

Symptoms of poisoning will first manifest themselves as increased salivation, dizziness, weakness, sweating, a drop in blood pressure, a weakening of the pulse and a decrease in its rhythm. This will be followed by vomiting, abdominal pain, and frequent and loose stools. A significant dose of toxin threatens the rapid development of cerebral and pulmonary edema. If you do not provide emergency medical care to the victim, there is a high probability of death.

Another serious threat to lovers of this dubious forest delicacy was identified relatively recently, just a few years ago. As a result of a large number of biological experiments, it was found that the mushroom pulp contains a very high concentration of an antigen protein that can cause irreversible damage to red blood cells and erythrocytes. Persistent compounds of this specific antigen protein trigger an agglutination reaction, or the gluing of red blood cells. Blood can clot instantly, and blood clots that form in large vessels of the brain and heart muscle can quickly lead to death.

The antigen protein can accumulate in tissues for many years, entering the body in small quantities from time to time. As a result, a person will develop anemia, various thromboses or other diseases that are in no way associated with food poisoning. The cause of death will be sudden myocardial infarction, cerebral stroke or pulmonary vein thrombosis, which are not directly related to food intoxication.

Svinushka mushrooms are valued for their suitability for cold salting for winter storage. This page contains photos and descriptions of pigweed as a widespread mushroom. You can find out which pig mushrooms can be eaten and which varieties are best avoided.

Basidiomas are gymnocarpous, mostly large, fleshy, rotting after ripening. The cap is lateral, sessile, spatulate, flat or funnel-shaped, often with a smooth edge turned down, felt-like or velvety-pubescent, dry or slightly mucous, yellow, brown, olive tones. The hymenophore is cellular or lamellar.

The leg is central or lateral, short or absent. The pulp is well developed, sometimes darkening when cut, with a neutral taste or slightly bitter. Spore powder is ocher-brown. The spores are small, from oval to spherical. Cystids are absent.

The photo shows pig mushrooms in various varieties of this genus:

Photo gallery

Which pig mushrooms are edible?

Pig mushrooms can be edible, of course, if they belong to the genus Tapinella. The remaining varieties are classified as conditionally edible. Next, you can find out which pig mushrooms can be eaten.

The cap of tapinella pigs is lateral, sessile, spatulate, flat or funnel-shaped, often with a downward-turned edge, olive-yellow, mustard, ocher-brown. The hymenophore is cellular or lamellar. The leg is central or lateral, short or absent. The spore powder is ocher-brown, the spores are small, up to 6 microns, there are no cystids.

Pig fat and thin

The pig is thick and thin, it would seem, “birds of a feather”. But it's not that simple. The fat pig is edible, but its thin sister can be hazardous to health.

The cap is 4-10 (20) cm in diameter, fleshy, spatulate, tongue-shaped, sometimes almost flat, often funnel-shaped and depressed in the center, sometimes eccentric or lateral, rusty-brown, ocher-brown, fluffy-velvety, naked with age, dry weather cracked, with a rolled edge. Hymenophore lamellar. The plates are descending, reticularly branched at the base, frequent, yellowish. Leg 2-4 (6) x 1.5-3.5 (4.5) cm, central, sometimes lateral or curved, weakly root-like, elongated, widened downward, deeply immersed in the substrate, thick, dense, felt-suede, black-brown, chocolate.

The pulp is spongy, strongly absorbs moisture in rainy weather, yellowish, darkening when cut. Spore powder is ocher-brown.

It also grows in forests, on stumps and mossy roots, and is found in July - October. Edible.

Family Svinushkovye

The Svinushkovy family is distinguished by the fact that their basidiomas are gymnocarpous, from small to large fleshy, rotting when ripe. The cap is convex, depressed, at a young age often with a tucked edge, smooth or hairy-pubescent, brownish-brown, yellowish tones and shades. The hymenophore is lamellar or tubular (the tubes are not separated from the pulp). The pulp is well developed, with a neutral or bitter taste. Spore powder is ocher to whitish. The spores are large (more than 6 µm), from round to ellipsoidal. Cystids are present.

Alder pig

The cap is 5-8 (15) cm in diameter, initially convex with a thin, rolled, felt edge, then flat-spread, depressed, weakly funnel-shaped, with a drooping or straight edge, dry, velvety, scaly-fissured, ocher-brown, yellow-brown or reddish-brown, with darker ingrown or lagging scales, less often with an olive tint, darkens slightly when pressed. Hymenophore lamellar. The plates are descending, frequent or medium frequency, narrow, forked, with anastomoses at the base, ocher-yellowish, lighter than the cap, slightly darkening when pressed. Leg 2-5 (8) x 0.5-1 (2.5) cm, central or slightly eccentric, solid, cylindrical, longitudinally fibrous, elastic, yellowish-brown, olive-brown.

The pulp is dense, soft, yellowish, yellowish-brownish, darkening when cut. The spore powder is reddish-brown.

Forms an association (Alnus Mill.). Alder pigweed grows in moist deciduous forests with obligatory participation, and is found in July - September. Edible.

Inedible pigs

Svinushka panus-shaped (svinushka ear-shaped, cellar house mushroom, mine mushroom, lamellar house mushroom).

The cap is 2-5 (8) cm in diameter, lateral, sessile, less often with a rudimentary stalk, fan-shaped (often the caps are fused together), initially thin-tomentose, then bare, smooth, in young basidiomas with a rolled edge, then with a lobed edge, yellow-ocher, ocher-brown. Hymenophore lamellar. The plates are descending, arranged radially or fan-shaped, branched, wavy, with anastomoses, form a mesh at the base, frequent, narrow, initially white, then yellowish, yellowish-brownish, brown. The stem is often absent or very short, underdeveloped, up to 1 cm long, the same color as the cap.

The pulp is soft, loose, spongy, whitish-cream. Spore powder is ocher-brown.

Inedible pigweeds grow on treated wood, stumps, and dead wood. It destroys the wood of cellars, mines, well log houses, bathhouses and the lower crowns of houses, causing enormous damage; it is found in nature in July - September. Inedible.

Is thin pig edible? No!

Many mushroom pickers think that thin pig mushrooms are edible and can be eaten quite safely. Actually this is not true. The cap is 6-10 (15) cm in diameter, initially convex, flat-convex, then flat-spread with a depressed middle or funnel-shaped, with a rolled felt edge, thin felt, sometimes weakly sticky, olive-brown, yellowish-brown with dark spots. Hymenophore lamellar. The plates are descending, forked, sparse, thick, with anastomoses, uniform in color with a cap, darkening when pressed.

Leg 2-5 (8) x 0.5-1 (2.5) cm, central or slightly eccentric, solid, cylindrical, longitudinally fibrous, elastic, yellowish-brown, olive-brown.

The pulp is spongy, yellowish, brownish, darkening when cut. Spore powder is brown.

Forms an association with deciduous and coniferous trees, saprotroph (Lep). It grows in various types of forests, in bushes, near swamps, in gardens, parks, on the roots of uprooted trees, old anthills, in clearings, etc., forms basidiomas singly or in groups, and is found in July - October (November). Poisonous. (An antigen has been found that causes the formation of antibodies in human blood, which gradually accumulate, which leads to a change in the composition of the blood.)

The name of the genus of fungus in Latin is “paxillus”, which translates as “small bag, little bag”. Apparently, it indicates the appearance of this mushroom. But in Russian the svinushka is called that because its fleshy young cap is similar in shape to a pig’s snout. In addition, in different regions the mushroom received its own special “local” names: pig, pig's ear, solokha, dunka, cowshed, havroshka, fetyukha, filly, pig, pig's ear, solopena, straw. Their exact origin has not been established.

Thin mushroom is a poisonous, inedible mushroom. Until 1981, it was considered a conditionally edible mushroom, but 25 years ago all representatives of this species were officially classified as inedible and poisonous mushrooms.

Scientific classification of the small pigweed: class Agaricomycetes, order Boletaceae, family pigweed.

What does it look like

In terms of size, the thin mushroom belongs to small mushrooms. Its “height” does not exceed 10 cm, the maximum diameter of the cap is 20 cm.

hat


The thin cap colors are olive, yellowish-brown, reddish-brown, and gray-brown. The color intensity changes as the mushroom grows; the cap gradually becomes darker. The bottom of the cap is grayish-white, and there may be a slight yellow or reddish-brown tint.

The diameter of the cap ranges from 5 to 20 cm. The average diameter is 12-15 cm.


The cap is lamellar, round or slightly elongated. In young mushrooms it is convex, in mature ones it is flat or concave. The edge is wavy, turned down.

The structure of the mushroom cap is thick, fleshy, with a dry, rough surface, which becomes sticky to the touch after rain.

Pulp


The pulp has a dense consistency and is colored pale yellow. A young mushroom is soft, a mature one is loose. When broken or cut it becomes dark. In dry times it becomes wormy. Smell and taste are not expressed.

Leg


The leg is small. From 3 to 10 cm in length, from 0.6 to 3 cm in diameter. It is colored greenish-yellow or yellow, similar to the color of the cap or slightly lighter. Solid, cylindrical, with a matte, smooth surface.

Where does it grow?


The thin pig is common in Russia, in all regions except the Far North, and is also found in Eastern, Southern and Central Europe, in countries with a temperate climate.


The mushroom grows in forests of all types: deciduous, mixed and coniferous. And also in fields, pastures, in anthropogenic landscapes (cities, parks, squares, gardens, vegetable gardens, landfills). Usually prefers shady, damp places, for example, forest edges and clearings, the outskirts of swamps. The pig needs fertile, rich soil to grow.

The thin pig is rarely found in the Far North.

When thin little pigs appear


The fungus reproduces by spores. The mycelium of the thin mycelium begins to grow from mid-June to November.

Three months are considered the mass fruiting season: July, August, September.

For the growth of this fungus, a sufficient level of humidity is important, as well as the condition of the soil, which must be rich in nitrogen and well manured.

Edibility

Thin mushroom is a poisonous, inedible mushroom. Its pulp contains substances called lectins, the toxic properties of which are not eliminated even by repeated heat treatment. In addition, the mushroom is capable of synthesizing such a dangerous poison as muscarine, which equates it in toxicity to the red fly agaric.

Pig eggs contain specific antigens that bind to cell membranes in the human body. As a result, the immune system begins to perceive its cells as hostile and tries to destroy them. This process leads to damage to red blood cells, the development of hemolytic anemia and impaired kidney function. Since the production of antibodies by the immune system occurs slowly, damage to the body may not appear acutely and quickly, but may occur over time.

In addition, the thin pig accumulates heavy metals and radioactive isotopes, which can become an additional cause of human poisoning. Causes allergic reactions in some people.

Kinds

There are 35 species of mushrooms belonging to the genus Svinushka, the most common of which are described below.

Alder pig (lat. Paxillus filamentosus)

A poisonous mushroom that grows in deciduous and mixed forests of Europe (Russia, Germany, France, Poland, Romania, Italy, Spain, Belarus). Grows under alders and aspens. The shape of the cap is funnel-shaped, the edge is wavy, drooping down. It is colored yellowish-brown or reddish-brown with an ocher tint. The top of the cap is dry, scaly or cracked. The pulp is yellowish in color, dense in a young mushroom, loose in a mature one, the smell is not pronounced. The diameter of the cap is up to 8 cm. The leg is small, up to 5 cm in height, 1.5 cm in diameter. Ocher-yellow plates are noticeable on it; at the base they are connected into cellular plexuses. The leg is wider at the cap and tapers downwards. The fruiting period begins at the end of June and ends in mid-September.

Thick pig (felt) (lat. Tapinella atrotomentosa)

A rare species of pig. Grows in European countries with temperate climates. Distributed in coniferous forests, where it is found on roots, stumps, and fallen pine needles. The cap is large, up to 20 cm in diameter, the edge is turned inward. The shape changes as the mushroom ripens, sometimes looking like a tongue. The color of the cap is brown or greenish-brown, velvety to the touch, but in old mushrooms it dries out and cracks. The mushroom is lamellar with light yellow plates, which turn dark brown when pressed. The pulp is watery, yellowish, and does not have a specific odor. The leg is small, olive-brown or brown in color, fleecy, fleshy, dense, often located on the edge of the cap.

Tapinella panuoides or ear-shaped pig (lat. Tapinella panuoides)

The poisonous mushroom - ear-shaped pig - grows in coniferous forests (Russia, Kazakhstan), in groups or individually. You can often find this mushroom in fallen pine needles or on dead wood. Growing on the walls of wooden houses, the fungus causes them to rot. The cap is hard, up to 12 cm in diameter, on a small stalk, which grows and practically merges with the cap so that it is invisible. The shape of the cap is fan-shaped, or reminiscent of a shell. The edges are jagged, jagged, or wavy. The top of the cap of a young mushroom is velvety, while that of a mature one is perfectly smooth. The color is yellowish-brown or ocher. The pulp is dense, rubbery, yellowish-cream or light brown, does not change color when pressed, and is characterized by a pronounced resinous pine smell.

Ammonia pig (lat. Paxillus ammoniavirescens)

A poisonous mushroom that is common in countries such as Italy, Portugal, Germany, France, Spain, England, Sweden. Found in northern Africa. It grows in city parks, gardens, next to deciduous and coniferous trees; you can also find it on the edge of a forest or along the banks of a small river. The mushroom is small (leg height up to 10 cm). The cap is fleshy, dense, beige-brown in color with a slight greenish tint. Its diameter does not exceed 12 cm. The fruiting period of the species occurs in autumn. It is distinguished by large brown spores, up to 6 microns in size.

Spore-bearing pig (lat. Paxillus obscurisporus)

A poisonous mushroom that is common in coniferous forests, oak and linden groves, and in the pastures of European countries. The cap is light brown or golden brown in color, its edge is wavy, raised upward. Sizes vary from 4 to 13 cm. The mushroom is lamellar, with golden-brown or reddish plates at the bottom of the cap. The pulp is white, sometimes brownish, the smell is soft and pleasant. The leg expands upward towards the cap from the ground, up to 8 cm in length, colored gray or yellowish. The fruiting period begins in early summer and ends in late autumn.

Ruddy pig (lat. Paxillus rubicundulus)

The species is widespread on the European continent, especially often found in damp lands along river banks, in light forests, where it grows under alder trees. The cap is characteristically funnel-shaped and does not exceed 15 cm in diameter; the surface is smooth or velvety. The cap is colored brown, yellowish-brown, gray-brown, rusty-ocher with a reddish tint. The mushroom is lamellar, with thin, frequent plates, yellowish-red or yellow-brown; when pressed, they darken to a dark brown color. The pulp can be white or yellow-brown in color, becoming red-brown when cut. The height of the leg is up to 8 cm, the shape is cylindrical, the color is yellowish in young specimens, in mature specimens the leg is reddish-brown.

Spring pig (lat. Paxillus vernalis)

It grows in the mountains of North America, in deciduous forests, under aspen and birch trees. This species is also common in countries such as Estonia, Denmark and Great Britain. The cap is convex, smooth or slightly rough, yellow-brown in color. The pulp is dense, fleshy, yellow, odorless, and turns red-brown when cut. The leg is up to 9 cm in height, from 2 to 2.5 cm in diameter. The color matches the cap. The mushroom is lamellar, with yellowish or pale green plates that tend to grow together. Fruiting begins in late summer and lasts until mid-autumn.

How to distinguish

In some regions, black milk mushrooms (Lactarius necator) are called pigs. The latter belong to the Russula family and are conditionally edible mushrooms, so it is important to be able to distinguish them from the poisonous pig mushroom.

The black milk mushroom resembles a thin pig in color and size. The lamellar cap is from 7 to 20 cm in diameter, the stem is from 3 to 8 cm in height. The mushroom is colored dark olive, yellowish-brown or dark brown.

You can distinguish a black milk mushroom by the fact that its brittle white flesh turns gray when broken, while that of a thin milk mushroom turns brown or black. Its cap is depressed in the center. In addition, black milk mushroom grows in mixed forests, especially in birch forests, where black milk mushroom is less common.

Black milk mushrooms are salted or used fresh for preparing second courses. Salted milk mushrooms turn purple-burgundy. Before cooking, they are soaked and boiled to get rid of the characteristic bitterness.

Poisoning with pork belly

In case of poisoning with thin pig, symptoms do not develop immediately, most often in the case of repeated consumption of it. The severity of poisoning depends on how much of them were eaten, as well as on the person’s health. The highest risk groups are children and people with weakened immune systems.

Poisoning with pigweed is characterized by the following symptoms: pain in the abdomen, vomiting, diarrhea, yellowness of the skin, a sharp decrease in urination, and an increase in the level of hemoglobin in the urine.

First aid for poisoning

At the first symptoms of poisoning with pigweed, it is important to immediately call an ambulance. There is no specific antidote, so treatment must be started as early as possible to avoid death. The acute autoimmune allergic reaction caused by this fungus is reduced with antihistamines. Plasmapheresis and hemodialysis are performed in parallel.

  • For a long time, pig mushrooms were classified as a group of conditionally edible mushrooms. The first documented poisoning by them occurred with the German mycologist J. Schaeffer, who, after eating pigs, developed diarrhea, vomiting, and a fever. Two weeks later, the scientist died due to acute renal failure. This happened in 1944.
  • In Russia, the sale of pigs has been prohibited since 1981.
  • Chinese traditional medicine uses thin porcinis for cramps and as a muscle relaxant.

Video

Pig mushrooms are common gray-yellow mushrooms. Fierce debate still arises around the question of the possibility of eating them.

Some experts are strongly against their use, while others describe the incredible beneficial properties of mushrooms, believing that they exceed all harmful qualities.

Many housewives have successfully made preparations, claiming that they are tasty and healthy. And no one seemed to have died.

That was until scientists received frightening research results on these mushrooms.

Indeed, people did not die immediately after consuming them. It acts like a time bomb.

Pork is divided into two types: thick and thin.

Fat pigweed grows on stumps all summer, most often forming on coniferous trees. This is a fairly large mushroom, its cap reaches 20 cm in diameter.

The leg is covered with small villi, yellowish in color. The hat itself has a dirty red tint.

Fat pig:

Important! They were eaten during times of war and famine, when there was little choice. They were salted and pickled. Today it has been proven that the fat pig is poisonous.

The thin pig's ear has always been considered a bad mushroom; the mushroom is popularly called "pig's ear."

It grows on stumps, near birches and conifers. Happens frequently. It was also pickled before, but only in lean, lean years.

The thin pig is a low specimen, the cap is no more than 10 cm in diameter. Color - yellow-brown, spotted. The pulp is yellow.

Thin pig:

Important! All types of pigweed today are classified as poisonous.

For a long time it was not possible to determine exactly how the poison worked, since people did not die immediately, but after a long time.

The black pig was initially considered poisonous, and the thin and thick ones were added to the “black” list relatively recently.

How long to cook pork

Since today we know for sure that it is impossible to eat pork, we will describe the cooking method that was used by our ancestors.

Preparatory activities before preparations:

  • Wash the mushrooms.
  • Leave for 3 hours in cool water.
  • Cook for half an hour.
  • Drain the broth.

How to salt and pickle mushrooms: pickling recipes for the winter

In the past, a wooden barrel was always used for pickling mushrooms. This vessel is an ideal container.

If you can get it, you will get the most delicious mushrooms in the world. Moreover, a wooden barrel is ideal for all varieties.

But let’s be realistic: wooden barrels are not the most popular attribute today; not every housewife has one.

We replace the barrel with any ceramic vessel deep enough to accommodate all the products.

Important! The pig is an inedible species. The official conclusion of experts allowed it to be included in the list of poisonous ones.

The preparation method described below was used by our ancestors; in those days, the poisonous properties of the pig were not identified.

Salted mushrooms recipe

  • Preparation time - 40 days.
  • The time for preparatory work and the salting process along with cooking is 4 hours.

Nutritional value per 100 grams:

Ingredients:

  • Mushrooms.
  • Salt.
  • Garlic.
  • Dill.
  • Allspice.

Recipe:

  1. Wash and soak the mushrooms in water for 3 hours.
  2. Cook for 30 minutes, drain the boiled water.
  3. Let cool.
  4. Place in a ceramic container in rows.
  5. Sprinkle each row with salt, chop finely chopped pepper, and add allspice as desired. Sprinkle with dill.
  6. Leave at a temperature of about 5 degrees for 40 days.
  7. Periodically add boiled water. We do this as they evaporate and absorb so that they do not turn out to be overdried.

Why was the pig farm banned in the USSR?

Pig has long been considered an edible product. Citizens of the USSR collected different species for themselves.

There were collection points for mushrooms for production. People brought there what they had collected themselves. But since 1981, pork has been removed from the list of acceptable food products.

The citizens shrugged their shoulders and continued collecting the familiar pig, but for personal use.

Then the government decided to include it in the list of poisonous mushrooms prohibited for consumption.

This order had an impact on conscious citizens - mass procurement of red mushrooms stopped.

Scary facts about the pig - the reasons for being included in the list of poisonous:

  • During the Second World War, scientist Julius Schaeffer tried to prove that the pig contained a deadly poison.

    He died two weeks after eating mushrooms from kidney failure. The fact alerted experts, but the official ban came only in 1981.

  • Today it is known for certain that the deadly poisons contained in thin and thick pigs destroy blood cells, which leads to the gradual destruction of the liver and kidneys.
  • As a result of eating pork, a person develops anemia and jaundice.
  • Since the diseases caused by this species develop slowly, no one has associated their occurrence with eating mushrooms.

    Many Soviet citizens continued to eat them even after the ban was issued and they were listed as poisonous.

Interesting facts about pigs:

  • The poisonous substance is muscarine. It is also part of the most poisonous mushroom in the world - fly agaric. Even half a fly agaric can kill an adult.
  • The pig kills slowly: its poisons do not disintegrate even after very long cooking. Muscarine is contained in small quantities, but it is not excreted from the body, accumulating, poisoning the organs and blood.
  • The organs responsible for cleansing are the first to suffer: the kidneys and liver.
  • A common consequence of eating is anaphylactic shock.
  • Pigs contain substances similar to radiation. According to unconfirmed data, when they enter the body, they reduce tumors.
  • In addition to poisons, mushrooms contain substances that have a beneficial effect on the body: improve heart function and enhance immunity.
  • An interesting fact about mushrooms: they are neither plants nor animals. But according to their genetic makeup, they are closer to humans.

The benefits and harms of pigs are not comparable. Useful substances can be obtained from edible mushrooms. You can cook pigs and marinate them.

Just don’t do this - human life is priceless. Take care of yourself, eat only edible types of mushrooms.

Useful video

Are pig mushrooms edible or poisonous? In total, 8 varieties of this mushroom are known, and almost all of them are poisonous or conditionally poisonous. In our country there are two types - thin and thick (black).

Svinushki belong to the pig family. A few decades ago it was included in the section of conditionally edible mushrooms, but recently these mushrooms are considered poisonous. This mushroom has many popular names: cowshed, dunka, pig, pigs, etc.

These mushrooms are of medium size, usually their caps are 13–16 cm in diameter, but in some cases up to 19–20 cm. The cap itself is fleshy, of medium thickness, its center is slightly convex, and its edges are flat, turned up. In adult mushrooms, the cap is funnel-shaped with wavy edges. The cap itself is usually dry, but if the weather is rainy, it becomes sticky to the touch and shiny, and its color ranges from brown with an olive tint to brown with an ocher tint. When pressed or broken, the flesh darkens.

This mushroom belongs to the lamellar type. The plates themselves are lighter than the cap. The leg is short - no more than 5 - 6 cm in height, with a radius of 1 - 1.5 cm. Its shape is cylindrical, tapering towards the base. In young mushrooms, the flesh of the cap is knocked down, in old ones it is looser.

Cowweed is classified as category 4 mushrooms, they contain a large number of toxic substances that cause poisoning, sometimes even leading to death. These substances promote reactions that destroy blood cells. And even when boiled, these toxic substances are not destroyed. Radiation accumulates in these mushrooms. There is no antidote for this fungus, so these mushrooms are prohibited from being eaten.

Svinushki belong to the pig family

Description of the taste qualities of pigs

Speaking about the taste of these mushrooms, their slightly bitter taste is noted, which is explained by the presence of toxic substances in their composition, as well as the ability of pigs to accumulate some radioactive substances. And although these mushrooms have been used as food for many decades after repeated boiling and frying, you still should not expose your body to the risk of poisoning. According to reviews from many mushroom pickers, even after cleaning and heat treatment, poisoning with mushrooms is inevitable.

Where and when are pig mushrooms collected?

Pigs are found in all temperate regions. They are found in deciduous and coniferous forests. They grow on the edges and clearings, along the edges of marshy areas. They can also grow on the roots of trees that are uprooted. Mushrooms begin to grow in July, and the last mushrooms can be found in the first ten days of October. Reproduction of pigs occurs with the help of spores.

Gallery: pig mushrooms (25 photos)



















Features of the fat pig (video)

Types of pigs

This family includes 35 varieties of pigs. The most common ones are described below.

Thin pig

This variety of pigs grows on the European continent, as well as in certain regions of our country with a temperate climate. They are found along the edges of ravines, on the banks of swamps, among fallen trees, in young deciduous forests among birches and oaks.

Young pigs have brown caps with an olive tint, and as they age, they acquire a more rusty hue. Their radius is from 6 to 10 cm. The pulp is very dense, light yellow; in older specimens the pulp becomes looser, with a brown tint. The leg is cylindrical in shape, small in size, about 5–6 cm high. Towards the base the leg decreases in diameter. Rare plates have a cellular structure, as they have many bridges. Pig spores are elliptical in shape. These mushrooms grow in forests from early June to early October.

Thin pig

Alder pig

This mushroom is classified as poisonous, growing in deciduous and mixed groves in the European part of our country, and in most other European countries. This pig grows on the roots of alder and aspen.

The caps are in the shape of a shallow funnel, the edges are drooping, slightly wavy. Their radius can reach 4 – 4.5 cm. The color is brown with a yellowish or reddish tint. The skin of the cap is dry, covered with scales. The consistency of the pulp is medium density, its color is light yellow, there is practically no mushroom smell, and as the pulp ages, it becomes looser. The plates are frequent, descending onto the stem, and can form cells. The stem of this variety is small, no more than 4–5 cm, about 1 cm in diameter. They appear in the third ten days of June, and the last mushrooms are found in the forest in the second ten days of September.

Alder pig

Fat pig

It is a rare species that grows in different regions of the European continent with a moderately humid climate. Most often found in pine or spruce forests on uprooted roots or stumps. Also grows in fallen needles.

The cap is large, the edges are concave inward, the radius of the cap can reach 10–12 cm. As they age, the shape of the cap can change, stretching to one side; very often old mushrooms look like a large elongated tongue. The hat is brown or brown with an olive tint, velvety, and with age it dries out and cracks. The pulp is watery, has no aroma, light yellow. The reverse side is yellowish, when pressed it changes color to brown. The leg is small, brown or brown in color, covered with fine hair, quite fleshy.

Fat pig

Pig eared

The cap is hard, up to 10–12 cm in diameter, the leg is small, sometimes it is practically non-existent. The hat looks like a small fan, sometimes it can be shaped like a shell. The edges of the cap are uneven, jagged or wavy. Young specimens have a velvety cap, older ones have a smooth surface.

The color of these dunes changes with age from brown with a yellowish tint to ocher. The pulp is rubbery, creamy with a yellowish tint; when pressed or broken, the color of the pulp does not change. The smell of these mushrooms is distinctly coniferous.. This is explained by the fact that eared pigs grow in the coniferous forests of our country and are also found in Kazakhstan.

They mainly grow on dead pines or fir trees. Can grow in groups or singly. Sometimes it grows on wooden walls of houses, which causes them to actively rot. This mushroom is slightly poisonous, so it is not eaten.

Pig eared

Pigweed Paxillus ammoniavirescens

This variety of pig mushrooms is a poisonous mushroom that grows in a number of European countries with warm or temperate climates, as well as in the north of the African continent. It is found in parks and squares at the base of deciduous trees, pines or spruces. But can be found on the edges of forests and along the banks of small rivers.

These pigs can reach 8–10 cm in height. The cap is quite dense, thick, light brown in color, the edges of the cap are concave inward, its radius is up to 5–6 cm. It grows actively in September–October. The spores are quite large and brown in color.

The truth about pigs (video)

How edible is the pig mushroom?

Almost all varieties of pig mushrooms are poisonous, although until the 80s of the last century it was classified as a conditionally edible mushroom, and mass poisoning with pig mushrooms was attributed to the fact that they were collected in environmentally unfavorable areas. However, research by scientists has made it possible to transfer these mushrooms to the category of inedible and unsuitable for consumption in any form.

The benefits and harms of pigs

Almost all varieties of pigs contain toxic substances that are not destroyed by repeated boiling, as well as other types of heat treatment. These substances have the ability to accumulate in the human body, even if he rarely eats these mushrooms