Sorting a mushroom harvest before inspection and cooking

Set up a clear working area

Work on a clean, well-lit surface away from children and animals. Remove specimens without tipping all fragments together. Keep field notes and separators. Sorting does not begin with a recipe; it begins by preserving what still allows a reliable assessment.

Make batches without forcing a name

Group only subjects that genuinely share the same features and documented context. Retain at least one whole, fresh example from every batch intended for inspection. When two subjects differ, create two batches instead of choosing the name that seems most likely.

Isolate every doubt

Set aside every incomplete, damaged, old or uncertain subject, along with fragments of unclear origin. Do not allow one doubt to disappear inside a decision about the entire basket. Never taste, and use no cooking process, application or home test to resolve uncertainty.

• Work in a well-lit area.
• Keep one whole example per batch.
• Isolate fragments and uncertain specimens.
• Obtain inspection before processing.

Obtain inspection before processing

Present batches and whole specimens to a VAPKO inspection service before any consumption. Clean, cut, dry or freeze only after that step and according to suitable guidance. When competent inspection is no longer possible, the careful option is not to eat the batch. Use separate trays for each group and move one group at a time so loose pieces cannot migrate into a batch already assessed. Keep the field notes beside the tray.