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Svinushka thin is a mushroom of the Svinushka family, genus Svinushka. Until 1981, these mushrooms were considered conditionally edible, they were classified as category 4 in terms of taste, but today they are classified as poisonous. The thin pig is also called filly, cowshed, pig, sow, solokha, pig's ear, dunka, solopena and pig's ear.


The Latin name of the mushroom is Paxillus involutus.

Description of the thin pig
The diameter of the thin pig's cap is 12-15 centimeters, in in rare cases can reach up to 20 centimeters. The cap is fleshy, at first its shape is slightly convex with a felted, rolled edge, then it becomes flat, while in the middle it is funnel-shaped and depressed, in rare cases it becomes funnel-shaped. The edge is ribbed, often wavy.

The color of the cap in young specimens is olive-brown or olive-brown, while in adults it varies from rusty-brown to gray-brown. When cut and pressed, the mushroom darkens. At a young age, the surface of the cap is dry, fluffy, fibrous to the touch, and as an adult it becomes smoother. In damp weather the cap becomes sticky and shiny.

The pulp is dense, becoming loose with age. The color of the pulp is pale yellow, yellow-brown or brownish, becoming darker when cut. In dry weather, the pulp often becomes wormy. It has no special smell or taste.

The hymenophore is folded, descending, called pseudoplate. The folded layer is easily separated from the lower surface of the cap, unlike real plates. The color of the pseudoplates ranges from rusty-brown to yellow-brown; they are lighter than the cap and become dark when pressed. Spore powder is brown.

The leg is short, its length reaches 9 centimeters, and its diameter reaches 2 centimeters. The structure of the leg is solid. Its surface is matte, smooth, dirty yellow or ocher-olive in color. The color of the leg is lighter than the cap or can be almost the same tone as it.

Ecology and distribution of the tonka pig
These mushrooms grow in forests various types, they are mainly found in shady, damp places. Sometimes they can even settle on tree trunks. The little pigs are growing thin groups, but rarely come across alone. They occur in large numbers from June to October. Thin pigs bear fruit every year and often.

Toxicity of the thin pig
The poisonous properties of the tonka were first noted in 1944, when the German mycologist Julius Schaeffer ate them and felt unwell, vomiting, fever and diarrhea. After 17 days, the scientist died, the cause was acute renal failure.

Fatality after eating thin pork occurs due to the content of a toxin in it - lectin, which is not destroyed even when boiled.

Svinushka provokes a powerful allergic reaction. In the 1980s, physician Rene Flammer discovered the pig antigen, which causes the development of autoimmune reactions by breaking through one’s own red blood cells. After some time of consumption of the fungal antigen, an immune response is formed, in which antibodies are produced that damage the cells with the membranes of the pig's antibodies. The destruction of red blood cells by antibodies provokes hemolytic anemia and renal failure.

Because antibodies take time to develop, the autoimmune reaction is most severe in people who frequently consume pork, especially if they have a history of gastrointestinal problems. The human body's sensitivity to toxins varies, and children suffer the most.

In addition, it is believed that the thin pig accumulates radioactive isotopes of copper and cesium. The content of these elements in mushrooms can be tens and hundreds of times higher than in the soil.

In 1981, the USSR Ministry of Health excluded thin svinushka and thick svinushka from the list of mushrooms allowed for consumption. And in 1984, according to the order of the chief sanitary doctor, this mushroom began to be considered poisonous. In 1993, pig mushroom was added to the list of inedible and poisonous mushrooms.

Symptoms of Pork Poisoning
The first to develop are gastrointestinal symptoms: diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, while the volume of circulating blood decreases. Symptoms of intravascular hemolysis soon appear: jaundice, pallor, decreased diuresis, formation of hemoglobin in the urine, and in severe cases, oligoanuria.

Lesser pig poisoning can cause serious complications: shock, intravascular coagulation and acute renal failure.

Treatment for poisoning with pigweed
There is no antidote. To reduce the severity of the autoimmune reaction, antihistamines are used. During maintenance treatment, blood counts, kidney function, water and electrolyte balance and blood pressure are checked. Corticosteroids are used as an additional treatment method, which can reduce the severity of complications. Antibodies are removed from the blood using plasmapheresis. And kidney failure is treated with hemodialysis.

Other mushrooms of this genus
Alder pig, also known as aspen pig, is a rather rare mushroom that has external resemblance with thin pork. These mushrooms got their name because they grow under aspen and alder trees. Like the thin mushroom, the alder pig is a poisonous mushroom.

You can distinguish the alder pig from the thin one thanks to its cracking cap and more yellow-red hue. In addition, these mushrooms differ in where they grow.

Fat pigs are rare to find. These mushrooms begin to bear fruit in July and continue until late autumn. They grow singly or in small groups. Fat pigs can grow on the ground, on roots and stumps. They prefer coniferous and, in rare cases, deciduous forests. You can distinguish the alder pig from the thin one thanks to the cracking cap and a more yellow-red hue. In addition, these mushrooms differ in where they grow.

The thick pig has a cap with a diameter of 8-20 centimeters. Its color is olive-brown or brown. At a young age, the surface of the cap is velvety, felt, but as it matures it becomes bare, dry and can crack. Young specimens have convex caps, but later they expand and become tongue-like. The edges are slightly curled, and the central part of the cap is depressed. The leg is short, thick and fleshy. Its surface is also velvety. Most often, the legs are shifted to the edges of the caps. The height of the leg is 4-9 centimeters. The appearance of this mushroom is massive.

Fat pigs are rare to find. These mushrooms begin to bear fruit in July and continue until late autumn. They grow singly or in small groups. Fat pigs can grow on the ground, on roots and stumps. They prefer coniferous and, in rare cases, deciduous forests.

Kira Stoletova

It is important to be able to distinguish edible fruits from inedible ones. On a person’s way, he may encounter a mushroom called svinushka (in common parlance - dunka). It is highly toxic and contains heavy metals.

Description of pigs

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, under certain angle 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 is formed 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

Varieties of pig a large number of. All of them germinate in deciduous and coniferous forests, also love marshy 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 becomes gray shade. 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 Brown color, scaly structure, there are 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. The color is 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 common 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 one famous case death is dated 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 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 worries:

  • 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).

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 is formed 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. The color is 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 common 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. Feature pigs - 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. Found even 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 antibody production requires certain time, the autoimmune reaction is most pronounced in people who have repeatedly consumed pork, especially if they 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 mushroom grows in conifers and mixed forests on roots, stumps and trunks, less often on rotting coniferous wood (pine, spruce), much less often grows 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. Big 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 before 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 bring a smile to fans, 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, pigs appearance very similar to others - 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. Pig 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 the toxin threatens rapid development edema of the brain and lungs. 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 large number Biological experiments have 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 is capable long years accumulate in tissues, 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.

In the vast expanses of Russia and neighboring countries, a mushroom grows in abundance, which most of The population considers it edible and fit for consumption. Most housewives salt, fry, stew, and boil these fruits without any fear. But in fact, as evidenced Scientific research in the field of mycology, so beloved by many people, pigs (svinushki, dunki) are not as harmless as they might seem at first glance.

When going to the forest to pick mushrooms, you must have at least general idea about which mushrooms are suitable for eating, and which ones you should be more careful with or even refrain from collecting and preparing. In addition, it would be useful to know where this or that mushroom grows, and how not to confuse one with another, because some mushrooms have their own poisonous counterparts.

An inexperienced person simply cannot distinguish one from the other and will definitely pick exactly the mushroom that he should not have taken. In particular, this applies to pigs, the family of which includes eight varieties, and only some of them are conditionally edible, and even then only after careful heat treatment. Unfortunately, they do not have a pronounced taste.

So, thin svinushka (filly, fetyukha, pig, pig, solokha, dunka, cowshed) is a mushroom of the svinushka family. The cap is fleshy, slightly convex at first, later acquires a flat appearance, with a strongly rolled velvet edge, has a diameter of 8 to 12 cm, sometimes up to 20 cm. There is a depression or funnel in the middle.

In damp, rainy weather, pigtails may feel damp and sticky to the touch. A young mushroom looks olive-brown, a mature one looks ocher or rust-colored. The pulp is yellowish and loose, turning brown when cut. The plates are ocher-yellow, descend along the stalk, which reaches 9 cm in length and 1-1.5 cm in circumference, and tapers cylindrically downwards.

Where pigs grow and where they are most likely to be found:

  • in shady coniferous or deciduous forests;
  • in a birch forest, oak forest;
  • in bushes, in ravines, on the edges of swamps;
  • on the roots of fallen trees;
  • spruce or pine trees near mossy bases.

They are found in groups (the so-called “witch’s rings”), less often singly. When going into the forest, it is advisable to take a photo with you so that you know what the pigs look like and do not accidentally put them in your basket, mistaking them for edible ones.

What are you risking?

Based on numerous studies, dunka mushrooms, as many call them, in 1984, by decree of the Deputy Chief Sanitary Doctor of the USSR, were transferred from the group of conditionally edible to the group of poisonous and unsuitable for consumption in any form. In 1993, in Russia and Ukraine, the thin mushroom was recognized as a poisonous and unsuitable for consumption and preparation. This is due to the fact that they contain toxins that are not removed even after repeated boiling and are not destroyed during heat treatment, and also tend to accumulate in the body of a person who eats them systematically or occasionally.

These toxins have an extremely negative effect on the blood picture, causing the formation of antibodies that destroy red blood cells by adhering to them. When sufficiently concentrated in a person’s blood, they completely unexpectedly cause the patient’s autoimmune response, which is expressed in the development of acute renal failure and subsequent death within a short time. Even if a person does not know how dangerous pigs are and eats them for a short time, poisoning may not occur immediately after eating, but after a certain period of time.

Among other things, the fungus has the ability to accumulate radioactive isotopes of copper and cesium, and also contains heavy metal compounds. Moreover, the content of these harmful substances in the soil is tens of times less than in the mushroom itself, which absorbs them.

The main symptoms of pig poisoning are as follows:

  • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain;
  • hallucinations;
  • cardiopalmus;
  • profuse salivation and increased work of the sweat glands;
  • labored breathing;
  • pallor or yellowing of the skin;
  • development of respiratory or renal failure.

There is no antidote, and if you do not go to the hospital for medical help in time, your chances of survival become less and less. Possible treatment consists of taking antihistamines, hemodialysis and plasmapheresis under medical supervision. These procedures only alleviate the course of the disease and cannot guarantee complete healing.

After examining the pig mushrooms (poddubnik), collected by scientists in different areas, in different time years and at different stages of ripening, it was revealed that the mushroom produces muscarine, a poison similar in properties to that produced by the well-known fly agaric, as well as a number of other especially poisonous mushrooms. Therefore, when deciding whether these pigs that mushroom pickers praise are edible, be guided by scientific information.

But there are edible pigs!

This assertion is worth questioning, even if we're talking about not about pigs from the pig family, but about mushrooms of the same name from the tapinella family, which until recently were considered a conditionally edible crop with unstudied toxic properties.

The fat pig tastes bitter. Despite this, most people believe that this mushroom is suitable for consumption fried after preliminary boiling in a solution of salt or soda to remove bitterness.

This mushroom is most useful in the manufacture of medicines, since its fruiting body contains atromenthin, a pigment that has antibiotic properties and has an antitumor effect. This explains its unpleasant taste. Knowing about this property, some older people use it as a medicine or simply “for health.” But this initiative can also be called dubious, since together with the antibiotic (atromentin), they themselves poison the body with associated harmful substances, which any pig absorbs very well.

What does medicinal pigweed look like and where does it grow?

The difference between a thin pig and a fat one is that the latter is huge in size, so it is difficult to confuse it with its thin sister. The cap has a diameter of 8-20 cm, its surface is colored brown or brown-olive. As it matures, the cap cracks and takes on an asymmetrical shape.

The cap of a young mushroom is convex, then expands unequally in different directions. The edges are slightly folded inward, towards the leg. There is a depression in the middle. The plates are yellow, descend along the stalk, and when you press them, dark spots appear. The leg is fleshy, thick, velvety, and has a height of 5 to 10 cm, so the mushroom looks very massive. It is rare, grows singly, less often in groups. Prefers deciduous or coniferous trees, grows on stumps, roots of fallen trees or on the ground.

Other types of the same mushroom

When a person wants to understand why pigs are harmful, it is worth familiarizing themselves with other varieties of this insidious mushroom, so that there is no incorrect assumption that some of the pigs are edible. There is no need to deceive yourself and try to understand the benefits and harms of pigs. We answer unequivocally - none of the pigs should be eaten, there is no need to risk your health and the health of your loved ones and children. There are a lot of other mushrooms in the forest that are at least harmless. They are much more useful than the ones discussed in this article.

Among known species- a conditionally edible white pig (giant white pig, govorushka) from the row family. The cap has a diameter from 10-20 to 40 cm, fleshy, with edges turned inward and a concavity in the middle. A young mushroom has a snow-white cap, while a mature mushroom becomes creamy in color. The leg is from 3 to 12 cm high (up to 40 cm in individuals growing in Europe). The thickness of the leg can reach 4 cm. The pulp is dense, white, with a floury smell.

May cause stomach upset if eaten. The stem of the mushroom contains a high concentration of milky juice, which makes the taste bitter. The pulp of the mushroom is rich in an antibiotic that destroys the tuberculosis bacillus.

Next comes the alder svinushka (aspen) - a mushroom from the svinushka family, which is quite rare in the CIS. It got its name because of its tendency to grow next to aspen or alder. Outwardly, it resembles a thin pig and is just as dangerous as it is.

The alder pig's cap is 5-15 cm in diameter, light brown in color, convex at first, and has a depression or funnel in the middle. The surface is fleecy and soft. Medium frequency records, soft and narrow. The spore powder has a brown tint. The leg reaches a length of 5 cm, has a diameter of 1-1.5 cm, and tapers towards the base. It can be distinguished from a thin pig by its cracked cap and richer red color. In addition, both mushrooms differ greatly in the places where they usually grow.

To eat or not to eat?

Even after the official exclusion of pig mushrooms from the list of edible mushrooms (due to the increasing frequency of fatal poisonings), heated discussions among mushroom pickers flare up everywhere with enviable consistency. Disputes arise because among amateurs there is no precise wording, which mushroom is a pig, which cannot be used for culinary purposes, and which mushroom is not a pig, but it is stubbornly called that way. And the unlucky mushroom picker justifies his position by the fact that there are some false pigs, which are poisonous, and there are others of the same kind, but they are suitable for consumption, and he eats them all his life. He even knows what can be cooked with the addition of pig and how.

Other people who believed such mushroom pickers collect full baskets of pigs, cook, have dinner... And then they call an ambulance and try to inform all people so that they do not collect this terrible mushroom. But still negative reviews There are more bad stories about the dunces than there are positive ones, and this cannot but be alarming. Therefore, based on the available data, only you need to decide whether pigs are poisonous or not. But it is still strongly recommended not to push your luck and choose other mushrooms for your culinary creativity.

For years, people have been collecting pigs and love them for their unique taste and ease of preparation. Experienced mushroom pickers categorically insist that these mushrooms are completely safe; before cooking, it is enough to boil and strain them. In contrast to this statement, there is an opinion about the danger and toxicity of these forest gifts. I wonder what the experts think about this? Let's try to figure out whether pigs are edible mushrooms or not?

Svinushkov family - photo and description

Popular names for pork are different: solokha, dunka, pig's ear, solopena, black milk mushroom. And in scientific literature mushroom is designated as Paxillus involutus- the pig is thin - and belongs to the family of pigs, which was first described more than a hundred years ago. For a long time, the family was considered intermediate between boletaceous and agaric mushrooms. And over time, mycologists attributed it to the order Boletaceae, which was confirmed by molecular phylogenetic analysis. But during this period, changes occurred in the pigs. Of the few genera belonging to the family, 8 Paxillus species were separated into a separate genus Tapinella. There's also a pig there.

Did you know? The pigs got their name thanks to dark spots, similar to dirt, which appear on them when touched.

The description of the pig is similar to the milk mushroom. 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.

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”.

Where and when do pigs grow?

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.

Pig mushroom - poisonous or edible mushroom?

Old-school mushroom pickers and representatives of the scientific field continue to discuss this topic today. The former refer to the experience and knowledge of their ancestors, who ate only dunks, the latter – to the results of their research. Currently in dispute the last word the doctors said. The mushroom is dangerous. It turns out that its toxins can kill immediately, or after some time, since when pigs are regularly eaten, they accumulate in the body.

Arguments about edibility

Despite the fact that since 1984, thin and thick pork has been prohibited for collection, sale and preparation, it is collected. They motivate this with a banal argument: they say, our grandfathers and great-grandfathers ate, and nothing happened. Stubborn gourmets believe that even a poisonous mushroom can be cooked; heat treatment will destroy all toxins. To be on the safe side, you can boil the collected trophies with the onion 3 – 4 times. Other lovers of forest delicacies explain deaths after eating solopena as a result of confusion in mushrooms. Like, something poisonous could have accidentally gotten into the basket.

Scientists have also analyzed pig mushrooms in terms of their benefits and harms. They discovered a brown pigment in the body of Dunka - atrotomentin, which has antibiotic properties, and polyporic acid, which can destroy malignant tumors. According to doctors, this is not enough to allow the use of the mushroom. It is used only for the preparation of medicines.