How to Know if Mushrooms Are Bad? 6 Essential Points

Do you enjoy mushrooms? If you aren’t already, you should begin because they are beneficial to your health. When buying mushrooms, you should think about how to know if mushrooms are bad for you. Because only fresh mushrooms should be consumed, specific factors are crucial when purchasing them. Some mushrooms are also harmful, so read the article thoroughly to learn about the criteria for purchasing mushrooms and other important information about them.
1. What Are Mushrooms?

Mushrooms are neither a vegetable nor a fruit, but they are members of the edible fungi family. These are unique because they are the only types of fungi that can be eaten, but keep in mind that not all fungi can be eaten. Mushrooms come in a wide range of shades and sizes, and some are poisonous. That is why you cannot consume all of the mushrooms.
Mushrooms do not need to be planted because they grow naturally in the soil and are used for a variety of purposes. A mushroom is not only a fungus; it is also an antibacterial and immune booster. Furthermore, these are regarded as important sources of bioactive compounds.
1.1. How Are Mushrooms Produced?
Mushrooms are grown from fungus spores found in the soil. These plants do not require much moisture to grow; they only need plenty of sunlight and soil. Mushrooms do not require the planting of seeds because they grow from dead plants.
It’s not that mushrooms don’t require attention; they, like other plants, require attention, and composting is the most important thing that is required to grow mushrooms because it provides nutrients to them.
2. Why Are Mushrooms Necessary?
For humans, health is the most crucial element, and eating mushrooms is recommended to maintain nutrition levels and food safety. Not only for nutrition but also in the medical field to make drugs and other things.
Edible mushrooms not only provide nutrition but also minerals, fibre, and protein. It also aids in the production of antibiotics, acids, and certain hormones in humans.
2.1. What Are the Uses of Mushrooms?
According to practo.com, mushrooms are a very useful substance, and some of their important uses are listed below:

2.1.1. Cancer
Mushrooms are very important for cancer patients because they are rich in antioxidants and minimal in cholesterol, sodium, and fat. As a result, it aids in the proper regulation of the body’s cells and is effective in the treatment of cancer.
2.1.2. Weight
Did you know that mushrooms are high in dietary fibre? This is why it is beneficial for weight loss, and dietitians recommend including mushrooms in your diet.
2.1.3. Nutrition
Mushrooms are filled with nutrients, including vitamins B, C, and D, as well as sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, and a significant amount of protein.
2.1.4. Kill Virus
Mushrooms also influence the elimination of active viruses and bacteria in the human body. They do not allow new viruses to enter the body because they attack them immediately, resulting in the eradication of the virus or bacteria.
2.1.5. Medical
Some mushrooms are also used in the medical field, with psilocybin being one of the best examples, as it aids in the treatment of severe depression.
2.1.6. Others
Other applications for mushrooms include writing ink, surgical dressings, pesticides, paintings, showpieces, anesthesia, and many others.
3. How to Know If Mushrooms Are Bad?
Because not all mushrooms are poisonous, it’s critical to know which ones are and which aren’t before buying them. Here are a few indicators that mushrooms are good or bad.
3.1. Stored for a Long Time
Mushrooms will deteriorate if stored for an extended period. Even if kept in the refrigerator, it will turn poisonous after two weeks or more. Storage has some limitations as well, and if they are exceeded, the items you store will suffer.
3.2. Slimy Texture
You can feel the sliminess or stickiness of the mushrooms by touching them, and this texture occurs as a result of keeping them in the fridge for an extended period. The mushrooms are no longer edible after they have turned into a slimy film, and they should not be consumed because they are full of bacteria.
3.3. Freshness
A mushroom should always be fresh, dry, and crispy in texture, and if it isn’t, you know you’re dealing with spoiled mushrooms. When purchasing mushrooms from any store, shop, or mall, make sure the whole mushrooms stay fresh, and if fresh mushrooms are not available, dried mushrooms are readily available.
3.4. Pre-Sliced Mushrooms

Even if you buy frozen, fresh, pre-sliced mushrooms, they won’t last long. After one week, the product will spoil. You will almost certainly get food poisoning if you cook spoiled mushrooms for eating. So, for the sake of your health, eliminate the mushrooms from your fridge.
Badly sliced mushrooms even get wasted, so people need to be very careful while slicing them, and that’s why it is advised not to store the mushrooms for a longer time.
3.5. Smell and Spots
If the mushrooms become bad, they will emit an unpleasant odour; if you detect this odour, throw them away immediately. The smell of the mushrooms is easy to detect because they all have very strong scents. You’re probably wondering what kind of smell you’ll detect now. Most likely, you’ll detect a fishy or pungent odour.
When mushrooms go bad, they develop dark spots, which indicate that the fungus in the mushrooms has progressed. Along with the dark spots, the colour of the mushrooms also darkens. Don’t buy dark-coloured mushrooms; instead, look for lighter-coloured ones.
3.6. Moldiness

Moldiness is another indicator of bad mushrooms, which occurs as a result of keeping them in a moist environment. Did you know that moisture is a major enemy of mushrooms? It is recommended to freeze mushrooms and keep them as dry as possible to keep them safe from their enemies.
Dry mushrooms do not support the growth of bacteria and mould, and if a piece of mushroom has moldiness on its surface, you should remove that defective piece as soon as possible because it can affect the other pieces of mushrooms.
3.7. Floppy
Mushrooms should never be foppish; they should be light and plump. Even soft or spongy mushrooms are poisonous. If you feel sponginess or sogginess when touching the mushrooms, you should not use them because the decomposition process has begun.
Even if you bought fresh mushrooms from any store, you should inspect them for floppiness and consume them as soon as possible.
3.8. Expiration Date
Checking the expiration date is one of the basic things that you should do while buying mushrooms. No matter how fresh whole mushrooms look always check the packaging details mentioned on the packet.
In some containers, the expiry dates are not mentioned so after purchasing, store-bought mushrooms only for five to seven days in the fridge.
4. What Kind of Mushrooms Can be Eaten?

Not all mushrooms are edible because some contain poison that can be fatal to those who consume them. Some mushrooms to consider cooking or incorporating into your diet are listed below.
Portabella mushrooms are one of the variations to consider because they contain more than ten different vitamins, as well as several minerals and antioxidants.
Shiitake mushrooms are next, as they are good for your immune system, boost white blood cells in the body, protect against cell damage, and so on.
Other mushrooms to consider include enoki, morels, oysters, straw, lion’s mane, porcini, reishi, sulphur shelf, hen-of-the-woods, death caps, Conocybe filaris, and others.
5. Tricks to Keep Mushrooms Fresh for a Longer Time
To keep mushrooms fresh for longer than a week, place them in the freezer, but not immediately, as some preparation is required before freezing them, as detailed below. Other methods for keeping all mushrooms edible so that you can consume them without harm are also listed.
5.1. Freeze Mushrooms
One of the best ways to keep mushrooms for almost nine months is to freeze them. To begin, clean the mushrooms, but not with water because they absorb it quickly. Wash them with a brush or a brown paper bag.
Second, you must properly cook them, and sauteing is considered an excellent method because it prevents them from coming into contact with moisture and also prevents them from losing their earthy flavor. Stir them until they turn brown.
Thirdly, take the cooked mushrooms out for cooking purposes by transferring them to a baking sheet that is rimmed. Lastly, keep them in a zippered bag and place them in the freezer.
5.2. Sealed Wrap
Do not open the mushroom seal until you’re prepared to cook them. Refrigerate them in their original packaging. When the seal is broken, the mushrooms are exposed to humidity, which reduces their legibility. So don’t even try to put them in the container or anything.
5.3. Refrigerator
Keeping mushrooms in a refrigerator is the most common method, but keep one thing in mind: the fridge’s temperature. According to wikihow.com, mushrooms should be stored at temperatures ranging from 40° to 45° F (4° to 7° C), as this is the best temperature for cooling.
5.4. Partial Open Plastic Wrap
Always store mushrooms in a pack that allows them to catch some air, which means don’t completely seal them when putting them in the fridge, as they spoil faster if they are completely packed. In this case, a partially opened plastic bag is the best solution.
6. What Dishes Can Be Prepared Using Mushrooms?

Each location has its distinct dishes, as do the preparation methods for them. Around the world, numerous dishes use mushrooms.
Ciulama is the most popular dish in Romania, followed by cream of mushroom soup, duxelles, mushroom gravy, stuffed mushrooms, wild mushroom biryani, and many more. All this represents a few of the most prevalent dishes, and you can select any of them according to your preferences.
Conclusion
Mushrooms are nutritious fungi that should be included in your diet, and there are numerous varieties. However, the following are some critical factors to take into account before choosing to buy it, which are listed above. Make sure your mushrooms are dry and fresh if you desire to attain the health benefits.
How to know if mushrooms are bad for you has been clarified. Now that you’ve read this article and other things about mushrooms, such as how to pick fresh ones, how to keep them longer, and so on, your doubt has been dispelled. I sincerely hope you found the above article very informative when learning about mushrooms.