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FRANCE 24 English
  • 7/7/2025

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Transcript
00:00Now, an Australian woman has been found guilty for murdering three of her estranged husband's relatives by serving them toxic mushrooms.
00:08Erin Patterson will be sentenced at a later date, but she's risking life in prison.
00:13For more on this story and the precautions to take when picking wild mushrooms, we can bring in Solange Mouja.
00:19Solange, great to see you. You were discussing today's verdict, which has come in for Erin Patterson.
00:25Yeah, it has. The 50-year-old Australian woman has been found guilty on three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder for serving the family of her estranged husband's individual portions of beef wellington.
00:39They were laced with the poisonous death cap mushroom or the amanita phalloides.
00:45Now, there's been quite a lot of fascination about this tragic family drama.
00:50Worldwide, news agencies have followed the nine-week court case and waited with bated breath for the six days while the jury deliberated.
01:00And this has gotten me thinking about why are so many people fascinated with this case?
01:05Of course, there's the did she do it intentionally or was it an awful accident element?
01:10And there the jury was categorical in their verdict.
01:13They found that she did intentionally forage and serve toxic mushrooms to her estranged husband's family.
01:21Then there's the fact that it was her in-laws and all the folklore that comes with that, as well as a series of lies uncovered by the case.
01:30But above all, I think what draws people into this case is the mushrooms.
01:34Not only is there a long history of famous and also not famous people dying from eating mushrooms, Buddha may have died from eating a poisonous mushroom.
01:44It's a disputed theory.
01:45Same goes with the emperor Claudius, who, according to multiple texts, was poisoned by his fourth wife so that her son, Anero, could become emperor.
01:54He did.
01:55Claudius is thought actually to have been killed by the amanita muscaria, the red and white top mushroom that looks exactly like you would imagine a poisonous mushroom to look.
02:05But looks actually can be deceiving when it comes to wild mushrooms, and I'll explain more about that in a second.
02:11So there is this long history, and also this fascination could come from the fact that mushroom picking is a pastime that most anyone and everyone can partake in, and many of us do.
02:22It's that horrific line between an everyday meal that could be delicious and really good for you or potentially a fatal one.
02:29How common is mushroom poisoning so much?
02:32Well, luckily, mushroom murders are not that common, and perhaps hence the fascination.
02:40But mushroom poisoning is more common than you might think, at least here in France.
02:45According to ANSYS, which is the watchdog of poisoning cases here in France, over 1,000 people every year are poisoned by mushrooms.
02:52And some 95% of those cases come from foraging for wild mushrooms.
02:57ANSYS tracks these cases every year from around July to December, the prime mushroom hunting season.
03:05As for deaths, there are generally one to a few deaths every year in France.
03:08But even with those cases that are not fatal, toxic mushrooms can do great damage to your liver and to your kidneys.
03:17In the best-case scenarios, they lead to a very upset stomach.
03:21It can be quite painful.
03:23Mycologists say that it is essential to know your stuff before picking mushrooms, because the rifts can be life-altering or even fatal.
03:31This one is toxic, but it doesn't matter if you mix it with the others.
03:37But these are deadly.
03:39Especially here, the Amanida phalloides, which can be all shapes.
03:44It can be white, it can be big, it can be small.
03:47It's deadly.
03:48You can't take the risk of getting that one wrong.
03:50And here, we have the fall's webcap mushroom, which is very, very toxic.
03:55It destroys your kidneys.
03:57People who eat this mushroom are on dialysis for life.
03:59Solange, you mentioned that foraging for mushrooms is a pastime here in France and in other parts of the world as well.
04:06Yeah, it is.
04:07And it is actually a magical experience that can be, that combines forest walks or a connection to nature with a love of food.
04:14You're finding what you eat alongside an economic element, finding something that is generally expensive for free.
04:22Along with a togetherness aspect, it can be great fun.
04:25And it is very much a part of France's cultural heritage.
04:29In the countryside, good mushroom spots, while they are a highly guarded secret, people will not tell you where they are.
04:35They may bring you a basket of trompette de la mort or black chanterelles, but they won't say where they foraged for it.
04:41However, even avid mushroom hunters in France know where to go if they have a doubt.
04:48Many actually go to a local pharmacy.
04:50Personally, this actually surprised me when I moved to France.
04:53But actually, in France, part of the training to become a pharmacist includes an in-depth section on funguses and mushrooms.
05:00And it is not uncommon, especially in rural areas, for people to go to pharmacies with their treasure trove, just to be sure.
05:11This isn't good. This isn't either. Not edible, actually. There isn't much that can be eaten here.
05:19If I can tell right away with the knowledge I have, I do.
05:24Otherwise, I take the mushroom, open up the books that we have available to us.
05:32This allows me to dig deeper and research the exact type and variety.
05:40Now, there are some caveats to French pharmacists' expertise.
05:43Not all of them know of the somewhat disappearing knowledge.
05:49City pharmacists may not have had that many requests, and so their knowledge may be rusty.
05:52Also, there are major, major caveats to an increasingly used option or telephone apps that identify mushrooms.
06:01They can very easily get things wrong as well.
06:04They are not to be entirely trusted, according to mycologists or mushroom aficionados.
06:10So the number one rule stays firm.
06:12If you are absolutely not certain of the type of mushroom, do not pick it.
06:17And when you have a doubt, throw it out.
06:19Solange, you have some other safety tips when it comes to picking up mushrooms?
06:22Yeah, in addition to this main rule, if you do not know it, don't pick it.
06:27There are some other rules.
06:28Do not use a plastic bag when foraging.
06:30Bacteria can develop quickly and turn an edible mushroom into a toxic one.
06:35Same for older mushrooms.
06:36If it isn't young and in perfect condition, let it stay in the forest.
06:40An older mushroom's color may be faded, making it look like a safe one.
06:44Get informed advice.
06:45We've covered that.
06:46Take a picture of the wild mushrooms before you cook and eat them.
06:49This can help doctors identify what has poisoned you if you do get sick.
06:54Do not eat wild mushrooms raw.
06:56Make sure they are fully cooked because some are dangerous when undercooked.
07:01But fine otherwise.
07:02Don't give them to kids whose immune systems are weaker.
07:05Now, all of that is the scary stuff.
07:07But again, with proper knowledge, mushroom hunting is a magical thing steeped in centuries of tradition.
07:13Edible mushrooms are, when they are the right ones, well, they taste great and they can be incredibly good for you as well.
07:19If only we could train dogs to pick a good mushroom.
07:22Well, they do definitely know how to look for truffles.
07:25Exactly.
07:26Thank you very much for that, Solange.
07:27Solange Moujean.