ATS Insubria and ULSS 2 Offer Free Mushroom Safety Checks in Northern Italy

The regional health agency ATS Insubria is running a free mushroom edibility service from 1 August to 30 November 2026 in the provinces of Como and Varese. Citizens can bring fresh, whole mushrooms in rigid, aerated containers to the agency’s micology desks, where experts from the Department of Hygiene and Prevention assess safety, advise on transport, storage and preparation, and destroy any specimens deemed non‑edible. In the previous season the service examined 312 kg of mushrooms, of which 129 kg were classified as non‑edible and destroyed.

The Ulss 2 health authority in the Treviso area is providing a similar free micological inspection programme. In 2025 it inspected about 980 kg of foraged mushrooms, discarding roughly 200 kg (one in five) as toxic or altered. Checks are offered by appointment at three district offices – Treviso, Pieve di Soligo and Asolo – and follow the same requirements for freshness, integrity and cleanliness. Both programmes aim to reduce food‑borne poisoning by ensuring that only safe mushrooms reach the table.