Dried morel mushroom recall France toxin death, Digi Mart USA News (Montpellier, France): A 27-year-old woman died at the CHU of Montpellier after eating dried morel mushrooms, according to information from France 3 Régions. The product, sold at the British retailer B&M, is now the subject of a national recall because of probable contamination by a toxin.
According to ICI Occitanie TV, the woman had mixed the mushrooms into a dish she ate on Monday evening. She reportedly developed gastric symptoms a few hours after the meal and was taken to hospital by firefighters.
She died the following day, Tuesday, around 1 p.m. According to the same reports, the victim had bought the mushrooms, sold in a can, at B&M, where they have since been removed from shelves.
The national recall was issued by the government the previous day.
All lots marketed under the Champibons brand with GTIN 3760201609743, sold between October 21 and November 3, with a best-before date of December 1, 2029, are to be removed from shelves across France, according to the Rappel Conso website. The site warns the product may be associated with diarrhea and/or vomiting in the hours after consumption, which in rare cases can lead to severe dehydration.
Authorities suspect that a batch of morels was probably contaminated by a toxin capable of causing the food poisoning, the website reports. It also provides guidance for consumers.
Anyone who has consumed the product and develops symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness or vision disturbances should immediately call 15 (SAMU) or a poison control center, noting the time of the last meal and when symptoms appeared. The Centre Anti Poison d’Occitanie can be reached at 05 61 77 74 47.
In 2025, the French National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety recorded 1,300 poisonings linked to mushroom consumption. These cause digestive disorders and liver or kidney damage and can be very serious in 3% of cases.
The prefecture of Hérault said a statement would be made during the day. The Montpellier prosecutor’s office had not responded to a request for comment at the time of reporting.
Consumers who bought the morels without eating them can return them to the point of sale or call 04 73 69 90 60.
