wren_mitchell•6d agoProlific Poster

That viral video about pouring bleach on mushrooms to test for toxicity? Total bunk.

Saw a Facebook reel saying bleach turns toxic mushrooms blue. Tried it on store-bought button mushrooms last month. Nothing happened. Mycology forum set me straight - that test means nothing with real sources.

3 comments

3 Comments

tessaperry6d ago

Hey that's rough, I've been tricked by internet 'hacks' too.

charles7206d ago

Yeah the bleach test is one of those things that sounds smart but falls apart quick. I get why people share it though, nobody wants to accidentally eat something dangerous. The real issue is that mushrooms that turn blue from bleach are already pretty rare and most of the toxic ones don't react at all. So you're basically playing a guessing game with no real rules. Stick with field guides or an expert if you're foraging, not internet shortcuts.

keith2746d ago

Do people actually think pouring bleach on their dinner is the smartest way to figure out what's safe to eat? I guess it's still better than the old "eat it and find out" method, but only barely. The internet loves a good shortcut, even if it's about as reliable as a coin flip. You'd think after a couple of these tests ended with someone's kitchen smelling like a pool and their stomach still unsure, folks would just buy a decent mushroom book. But nope, we'll keep trusting a meme over an expert until someone accidentally pickle themselves instead.