Gorchak (Tylopilus felleus) photo and description. A mushroom that can spoil absolutely any dish: a characteristic of the gall mushroom Bile mushroom how to cook

The bile fungus (gorchak), which is quite common in central Russia, also has the name of a false white fungus.

There are several scientific theories about the origin of its bitterness, which cannot be destroyed by any culinary processing procedures.

The closest to the truth is the opinion that the pulp of this fungus contains toxic substances that destroy liver cells.

In this regard, the symptoms of poisoning may appear several weeks or months after eating it.

Poisoning, in fact, is quite rare due to the fact that during exposure to high temperatures during processing, bitterness increases many times over. It is hardly possible to call such a dish edible. Most often, poisoning occurs when using a false porcini mushroom for pickling and salting.

In canned form, bitterness can be masked by various seasonings and vinegar.

Edible twins are true, boletus and. A distinctive feature of the gall fungus is the color of the spongy substance on the back of the cap.

Unlike edible specimens, the false white mushroom has a pink tint. When cut, the leg quickly darkens and becomes brown. The mesh that covers the leg fiber also has a brown tint.

Description of gall fungus

You can meet false boletus in any region of the Russian Federation. It grows actively from late June to mid-October, depending on weather conditions. With early frosts, it can complete the growing season at the end of September.

It grows both in groups of 5-15 individuals, and singly on the outskirts of forests with a rare planting of trees. It prefers light loamy soils and sandstones for growth, richly fertilized with fallen needles.

According to the description, the gall fungus resembles a white mushroom - it is a massive strong leg, which is filled with fibrous pulp. In diameter, an adult can reach 7 cm. The outer layer is fibrous, covered with a dense brown or brown mesh.

Its cap is a spongy formation with a thin layer in the upper part of a dense porous substance in the form of pulp. Spongy substance of a pinkish hue, very bitter in taste.

When even a small amount gets on the tongue, it causes a strong burning sensation. The outer surface of the cap is covered with a dense film, which during growth can change its color from pale brown to rich ocher.

As they grow older, the hemispherical shape straightens out and becomes like a saucer, the inner side of which resembles a pillow.

A distinctive feature is that this mushroom is never damaged by insects. Due to this, he looks very attractive. But it's not worth taking it into your basket.

If even a small piece of a false porcini mushroom gets into the mushroom box, the taste of the dish will be irrevocably spoiled.

Be sure to look below, in our photo gallery, how the bile fungus mustard looks like in the photo.

How does poisoning manifest itself?

As mentioned above, some biologists classify the mustard mushroom as inedible, but not poisonous specimens. Scientists agree that eating this handsome forest is impossible only because of its unpleasant taste.

Foreign colleagues refute this theory. In the pulp of the false porcini fungus, toxic substances are released that are quickly absorbed into the human blood during any, even tactile, contacts. These substances penetrate into the liver cells, where they show their destructive effect.

On the first day after the "tongue test" during the collection of this mushroom, a person may feel slight dizziness and weakness. In the future, all symptoms disappear. The first signs appear after a few weeks.

Gorchak, or bile fungus, (lat. Tylopilus felleus), the family of cone mushrooms (lat. Strobilomycetaceae). - an inedible type of mushroom. It is not forbidden to eat it, it is not poisonous, but its taste is very bitter. That is why they call him bitter. Moreover, if you cook normal mushrooms and add gall fungus to them, it will spoil the taste of the whole dish, which can no longer be eaten.

General description of gall fungus

Most of all, bitter is similar to boletus, porcini mushroom. But There are also significant differences from the mentioned varieties:

  • the tubular layer has a pink tint;
  • mesh on a brown leg;
  • on the cut, the flesh is pinkish.


Most often, bitterwort grows in coniferous forests on sandy soil. You can meet him growing singly and in groups. The beginning of the fruiting of mycelium is determined as July-September.

The color of the bitter cap can be from yellowish to brownish. Sometimes it takes on a chestnut or gray hue. Its diameter is up to 15 centimeters.

Young mushrooms have a hemispherical cap. Then she becomes pillow-shaped. The pulp of the mustard is soft, the leg is up to 3 cm thick. The length of the leg can reach 7 cm, its shape is swollen.

How to distinguish bitterness from white fungus (video)

How to distinguish bitterness, and where it occurs most often

The main twins of the mustard are boletus, boletus. If you don't understand how to tell a mustard mushroom from other mushrooms, look at its scales and stalks. In comparison with boletus mushrooms, it does not have small scales on the skin, and boletus mushrooms have a lighter mesh located on the leg.

Gorchak grows from June to October. It is usually found in Asia, Europe. At the same time, it prefers acidic soils in coniferous, deciduous forests. It can also be found on rotten wood.


Medicinal characteristics

For example, it is tilopilan, which is a P-glucan and an immune response stimulant. It is able to increase the concentration of phagocytosis - a process that enables granulocytes and macrophages to find and fight microorganisms that are foreign to the human body. In 1994, experiments were carried out that made it possible to prove that the gall fungus shows anti-cancer activity. He is also able to cope with a bacterium called Propionibacterium acnes.


Among other things, the fungus also contains N-y-glutamyl-boletin, which has antibacterial activity. In 2004, studies were carried out that showed the high ability of mustard to inhibit the liver lipase enzyme.

Interestingly, earlier in the Volga region bitter was used as a ritual dish. This is symbolic, as its boiled caps are actually very bitter. They symbolize the bitterness of loss from the loss of a loved one. In medicine, bitter gourd is used as a choleretic agent.

Gorchaka features (video)

Is gall mushroom edible?

It is believed that they can destroy the liver. That is why bitter poisoning is not always immediately noticeable. Sometimes its symptoms appear only after a few weeks. This is due to the fact that for the most part, as soon as a person tastes a bitter taste, he spits out the mushroom. But if the bitter was pickled along with porcini mushrooms, you can get poisoned, since in this case both vinegar and seasonings are present in the rolls.

When bitterness, prepared without seasonings, hits the tongue, a characteristic burning sensation occurs. So you can determine that it is he who is in front of you. Another characteristic feature that also makes it recognizable is that it is never damaged by pests. Therefore, it looks attractive, but it is still not worth collecting it.

How poisoning manifests itself

As mentioned above, a number of scientists classify the mustard as an inedible, but not poisonous mushroom. You should not eat it because of the unpleasant bright taste.

Foreign scientists say that you can get a toxic effect from the fungus even through direct contact with it. When taken internally, the substances contained in it penetrate into the liver tissue. In the end, they destroy it.

On the very first day after you have tried the mushroom, you can feel dizzy and some weakness. Then the symptoms may disappear. Then they reappear after a couple of weeks.

After the fungus, there may be problems with the separation of bile, which is why it is called bile. When used in large quantities, it is possible to develop cirrhosis of the liver.

Where bitterness grows (video)

So, you can not take the gall fungus in food. It is inedible for humans. Since worms feast on them, and pests bypass it, it is worth considering that it is not suitable for human food. Therefore, it is important to correctly distinguish the fungus from other species so as not to be poisoned by them.

Mushroom poisoning most often occurs as a result of accidental consumption of poisonous mushrooms. This happens as a result of a careless attitude to such food - buying unidentified mushrooms from the hands, collecting unknown species, or using home canned food of dubious origin. Also, intoxication can be the result of an error in recognizing the type of fungus.

From a nutritional point of view, all mushrooms are divided into edible, those that cannot be eaten and poisonous. The most common representative of the group of inedible mushrooms growing on the territory of our country is the gall fungus, or mustard. Consider what are the signs of gall fungus poisoning and how dangerous it is to eat it.

Gall mushroom - description

Another name for mustard is a false porcini mushroom. It is widely distributed in central Russia. The growing season is from June to the end of October, with early frosts only until the end of September. The fruiting body is 5–10 cm in size, reaching up to 15 cm. The stalk is thick, strong, with a distinct mesh. The cap is massive, rounded, spongy structure. From above, the hat is covered with a dense film; in the process of growth, its color changes from light brown to rich ocher. Spores pink or pinkish-brown.

Gorchak prefers light soils: loams, sandstones; settles mainly on the edges of light forests or in coniferous plantations. Often found near trunks and stumps, in dry weather it can grow on rotten wood. Usually bitterling forms groups of 5–15 individuals, but sometimes it is located singly.

Gorchak looks very attractive. Almost never damaged by insects and worms. Its flesh is fleshy, white, reddens in the cut, but may not change color. It tastes very bitter, has no smell.

The young gall fungus, poisoned by which, possibly due to incorrect identification, does not yet have a pronounced color of the spores. Gorchak is often confused with mushrooms - white, boletus, netted or bronze boletus.

Gorchak is distinguished from edible mushrooms by the following features:

Gall fungus poisoning is caused by resinous substances contained in the pulp, which strongly irritate the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines. When even a small amount of them gets on the tongue, a strong burning sensation occurs.

Thanks to the same substances bitterness in folk medicine is used as a choleretic agent. And during medical research, several active components were isolated from it, which have choleretic, immunostimulating and even anti-cancer properties.

Symptoms of gall fungus poisoning

Poisoning with a gall fungus, the symptoms of which are nonspecific, is extremely rare. The bitter taste, which is only enhanced by cooking, prevents the mushroom from being eaten and receiving a large dose of toxins. There is evidence that you can get poisoned by eating homemade canned marinades and pickles, where bitterness is masked by spices and vinegar.

The poisonousness of the mustard has not been proven. Scientists disagree: some believe that it is impossible to poison them, since its only danger is a bitter taste that can spoil any dish. For the same reason, eating gall fungus is extremely difficult.

Other researchers are of the opinion that bitter bitter toxins are somewhat similar to plant poisons that affect liver cells. These substances can be absorbed into the blood even through the skin and, accumulating in the liver, attack its cells - hepatocytes. A few weeks after the poison enters the body, signs of a violation of the production and separation of bile develop, and other functions of the liver decrease. When receiving large doses of the toxin, the disease can become chronic, resulting in cirrhosis of the liver.

From a practical point of view, doctors classify mustard as a group of slightly poisonous mushrooms. Symptoms of bile fungus poisoning develop 2-3 hours after eating it, sometimes half an hour is enough for them to appear:

  • abdominal pain;
  • nausea;
  • vomit;
  • indigestion (diarrhea).

Dehydration can develop due to vomiting and diarrhea. The outcome of poisoning is favorable - within a few days the body is restored without any negative consequences.

First aid

First aid for gall fungus poisoning includes the following steps.

After that, the victim is laid in bed, covered with a warm blanket. If there are signs of impaired breathing, neuromuscular regulation, confusion, then urgent hospitalization is necessary - most likely, poisoning by another type of fungus has occurred, which can lead to serious consequences.

Treatment

In case of poisoning with a gall fungus, special treatment is not required. They take measures to restore fluid and water-salt balance: they drink more water, you can use saline solutions ("Regidron", its analogues). The first day they follow a starvation diet, then they eat easily digestible foods:

  • cereals;
  • vegetable stew;
  • fruits of neutral taste;
  • lean meat.

In conclusion, we emphasize once again that the mustard mushroom is conditionally poisonous. It is extremely difficult to poison them due to the pronounced bitter taste. If, nevertheless, in any way the bitter was eaten, then the symptoms of gall fungus poisoning will be non-specific: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain. The active substances contained in the mustard do not pose a danger to life. For treatment, it is enough to wash the stomach with plenty of water, take enterosorbents and follow a sparing diet for several days.

A fairly common mustard mushroom or gall mushroom (Tylopilus felleus) belongs to the category of inedible, due to the too bitter taste of the mushroom pulp. This fungus from the genus Tilopil or Tylopilus grows in coniferous and deciduous forest zones.

Description and characteristics

The gall fungus, which is also called the false porcini mushroom, is found almost everywhere in the forests of the middle zone of our country, therefore you need to know its description:

  • the cap is hemispherical, 4-10 cm in diameter, but there are also specimens with a cap up to 15 cm in diameter;
  • as it grows and develops, the shape of the cap changes from hemispherical to round-cushion-shaped or rather prostrate;

  • the surface is dry, fine-fiber type, with slight pubescence or characteristic velvety;
  • with age, the surface of the cap becomes smooth, and in rainy weather it may acquire a slight stickiness;
  • as a rule, the cap has a yellowish-brown or yellowish-brown color, but specimens with a light brownish, gray-ocher, grayish-brown, chestnut-brown or dark brown hat can also be found;
  • white mushroom pulp, often reddening when cut, odorless, not wormy;
  • the taste of the pulp is characteristic bitter;

  • a white or pinkish tubular layer adheres to the stem;
  • the average height of the leg can vary between 4-13 cm with a thickness of 15-30 mm;
  • leg cylindrical or club-shaped with an extension at the bottom, fibrous type;
  • the surface of the stem is painted in creamy ocher or yellowish shades with a clearly visible net pattern of dark staining.

In different parts of our country, mushroom pickers call Tylopilus felleus differently, but the most common names are false boletus, gall fungus, mustard, false white or bitter. The mushroom grows singly, but there are also small groups. Due to its botanical characteristics, bitterling prefers acidic soils in deciduous or coniferous forests, and can also grow on decayed wood. Most often found in mixed forests, from mid-summer to the onset of a significant autumn cooling.

Gorchak mushroom: description (video)

twin mushrooms

Quite often, bitter gourd ends up in a basket with edible mushrooms due to its external attractiveness and the absence of wormy stems and caps. The gall mushroom has very significant differences from edible varieties., knowing which you can be completely sure that an inedible variety will not fall into the basket:

  • outwardly, the mustard is very reminiscent of many "noble" mushrooms and is very similar to the porcini mushroom, which, unlike the inedible counterpart, has a thin mesh white rather than a dark pattern on the stem;
  • Quite often, inexperienced mushroom pickers confuse the gall fungus with boletus and aspen mushrooms, but unlike them, the bitter mustard flesh turns pink at the break, and there is also a pinkish tint on the lower surface of the cap.

In addition, attention should be paid to the color of the spore powder, which in the gall fungus has a very characteristic pink color.

Symptoms of poisoning

Of course, it is simply impossible to get severe bitter poisoning, due to its unsatisfactory taste, thanks to which no one will dare to cook a full-fledged dish from this mushroom. Even mixed with other types of mushrooms, bitter taste has a very characteristic, unpleasant, bitter taste, which makes it almost impossible to eat it.

However, you should be aware that poisoning can be provoked by the resinous components contained in the pulp of Tylopilus felleus, which cause severe irritation of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. Even a small amount of this substance causes a strong burning sensation in the oral cavity.

The priority measures that should be taken in case of bitter poisoning include:

  • washing the stomach with salted water until the mushrooms eaten are completely released;
  • the use of activated carbon, "Enterosgel", "Polysorb", "Polifepan" or "Smecta".

If first aid is provided correctly and in a timely manner, then such symptoms of poisoning as diarrhea, dizziness, and stomach pain are not observed. Also of interest is the fact that resinous substances make it possible to make some preparations from Tylopilus felleus and use the gall fungus mustard in folk medicine as a very effective choleretic agent.

Edible mushrooms: differences (video)

Fans of "quiet hunting" probably know the gall mushroom - a type of inedible mushroom that can be confused with other varieties.

Due to its unsatisfactory taste, it cannot be eaten. To find out if a gall fungus is considered poisonous, you need to find out its description.

The places of growth, the external description and photos of this forest representative will help you easily find it in nature, and also not to be confused with other edible mushrooms.

The second name of this mushroom is mustard, and it was not by chance that he got it. Gorchak is considered edible, but hardly anyone wants to really eat it.

Due to its unusually bitter taste, it is not suitable for human consumption.

To better understand what this representative of the flora looks like, you can look at the photo.

Useful information and description will help you get to know the forest guest better:

  1. Appearance. The hat reaches sizes from 5 to 15 centimeters in diameter.

    It has a cushion shape, has a brown, yellow and chestnut color. After rain, the hat becomes sticky.

    The drawing shows that it has a long leg, up to 13 centimeters high, painted with a cream tint.

  2. Where it grows The habitats of this individual are very different, but in most cases it is found on the acidic soil of coniferous and deciduous forests.

    Gorchak also grows on rotten wood.

  3. Growth time. You can find gall fungus in the vastness of Europe and Asia, the largest period of its growth occurs at the end of June. Growth continues until the end of October.
  4. Gorchak has a small number of twins. According to Wikipedia, it is often confused with white fungus.
  5. Application. It is used by traditional medicine as a choleretic agent, as well as with stones in the bladder - with caution.

It is worth noting that the especially bitter taste of this forest representative does not allow even animals to eat it.

Differences between white and gall fungus

Even experienced lovers of “silent hunting” cannot always distinguish the boletus from its false neighbor, the gall fungus, from the first time.

In order not to get confused among the varieties, and also not to endanger your health, it is recommended to consider the similarities and differences between these two species.

Note! Borovik has several varieties at once: birch, oak and pine - they all look alike, they can be eaten even without heat treatment.

Consider a detailed comparison of the two types in the pivot table: it is a kind of type determinant.

One rule that will help you recognize bitterness is that it will be beautiful and untouched by animals:

Description Porcini Gorchak
Appearance Hemispherical cap shape, massive barrel-shaped stem Convex hat, thickened to the bottom of the leg. The difference lies in the tubular layer - it is painted with a dirty pink tint.
Growth Birch groves, deciduous and coniferous mixed forests Coniferous edges, so it can often be confused with pine boletus
Taste Pleasant taste and aroma A bitter taste that repels animals. Mushroom pickers often check for bitterness when picking - it appears after 10 seconds: this is not recommended
Edible or not Yes Not

Is the mushroom poisonous

In the atlas of poisonous agaric mushrooms, this variety can hardly be found.

This approach is due to the fact that it is almost impossible to eat mustard: it has such a disgusting taste that the receptors in the mouth will not allow it to be chewed.

Consider how dangerous the false representative of the forest is, and whether it is poisonous:

  • Western researchers claim that bitter contains toxic substances in the composition, which are transmitted to humans even through tactile sensations.
  • Once inside, the components are rapidly absorbed through the blood.
  • Toxic substances settle in the liver cells and cause a violation of its performance.
  • A high concentration of hazardous components can provoke cirrhosis of the liver.

Despite this, some mushroom pickers do not worry about the inedibility of the gall fungus.

Answering the question of what kind of fungus the bile representative looks like, lovers of “quiet hunting” in chorus compare it with boletus mushrooms. And if bitterness accidentally gets into the basket, they use it for pickling for the winter.

Important! It is worth abandoning such methods: the body of each person is individual.

If some people are able to digest bitterness, others may experience poisoning.

Before going to the forest, you can draw for yourself pictures of the mustard in a section, with a clear indication of its description: by understanding how the mustard differs from real porcini mushrooms, you can prevent the consequences of poisoning.

Signs of gall fungus poisoning and what to do

Careless picking of mushrooms often threatens with sad consequences - poisoning. To prevent such an outcome, it is recommended to pick mushrooms not alone, but with knowledgeable people.

Scientists believe that the composition of the mustard contains toxic substances similar to poisons of plant origin.

They can cause intoxication of the body, causing inconvenience to a person.

If, nevertheless, the mustard got into the body, the signs of poisoning will be as follows:

  • The feeling of a strong burning sensation on the tip of the tongue is due to the ingress of dangerous resinous substances contained in the mustard.
  • Pain in the stomach and intestines of the type of acute and paroxysmal, violation of the stool, a possible increase in temperature.
  • Nausea, vomiting, indigestion.

Often you can get poisoned with mustard after eating pickled mushrooms, where this individual got into the jar.

Doctors agree that mustard is not considered poisonous, because its bitter taste prevents further ingestion into the human body.

Do not forget to call the doctor at home so that he can make a conclusion and prescribe a restorative treatment.

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