In connection with the ongoing mushroom season, which in the Czech Republic is traditionally associated with the offer of wild mushrooms at stalls and other places, the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) warns sellers and informs consumers that the offer of this assortment is subject to a number of requirements ensuring the safety and quality of the mushrooms. Compliance with these requirements is checked in the field by CAFIA inspectors.

Namely following requirements are concerned:

• Out of the wild mushrooms, only the species listed in Annex 15 to Decree No. 397/2021 Coll. may be offered.
• The seller must hold a valid certificate of examination in mushrooms knowledge proving his/her competence.
• The mushrooms must be dry-cleaned, free of contaminants and impurities.
• The mushrooms must be of firm consistency.
• The sporocarps must not be over-aged, mouldy, damped or excessively moist.
• The mushrooms may be split by no more than one cut, while the connection between the cap and the leg must be maintained.
• No more than 5 % of the mushrooms offered may be damaged. Damage means mushrooms with more than a quarter of the cap missing or with pests. Perforations caused by insects may be present on no more than 10 % of the cut surface.
• The seller is obliged to indicate the Czech name of the mushrooms and the shelf life.

The inspectors also check obligations in the area of hygiene of sales. These include sufficient protection of the goods from environmental dirt, exposure to the sun, etc.

Mushrooms perish quickly under adverse storage conditions which cause growth of substances that have a negative effect on the human body. Therefore, wild mushrooms can be stored and transported at temperatures between 0-10 °C.

Article by: Pavel Kopřiva – CAFIA Spokesperson, phone: +420 542 426 633 

13^th August 2024

Source: Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority | Inspection Authority notifies sellers and informs consumers: Sale of wild mushrooms has rules inspected by CAFIA (gov.cz)