Hedgehog mushroom safety debate flares up again among Latvian foragers

A question posted in the Facebook group "Latvijas daba" asking whether the once widely eaten cūcene mushroom is now considered poisonous has sparked heated discussion among Latvian foragers. Many commenters reacted with confusion or outright indignation, noting they have eaten the mushroom for decades without harm and associate it with childhood memories and family recipes.

Proper preparation seen as key

Several experienced foragers pointed out that cūcene has never been a mushroom that can go straight from forest to frying pan. It requires careful preparation: repeated boiling, soaking in cold water often for 24 hours or longer, and only afterward salting with dill and garlic or fermenting. Many commenters argued that any reported illness or poisoning results from impatience and improper preparation rather than the mushroom itself being dangerous.

What scientists say

Still, some participants in the discussion offered more measured explanations, noting that the mushroom itself hasn't changed over the years — rather, scientific understanding of it has evolved. This is not a new debate in Latvia: a few years ago, a viewer raised similar concerns with the Latvian Television programme "4. studija" about whether cūcene could be carcinogenic. Inita Dāniele, a mycologist at the Latvian Museum of Natural History, explained at the time that studies roughly a decade earlier had identified a compound called necatorin in the mushroom, which may contribute to the development of cancer cells. While other scientists have since tried to challenge or soften those findings, complete scientific certainty still does not exist. For that reason, Dāniele recommended erring on the side of caution and significantly limiting consumption of the mushroom whenever doubts remain.