Why do I see only one stripe on the test strip? Or two stripes? One stripe on the test strip (only the upper stripe) means that the test worked, and the result is positive. Two stripes on the test strip (both upper and lower stripe) mean the test worked and the result is negative. Please refer to our product insert, which is available here (Product-Insert) and our video demonstrating how to perform and interpret the test (How to use video). Also, please see What is a negative readout test? and Why do you put some table salt into the tubes you send in the test kit? below for more information.
How sensitive is the AMATOXtest? The AMATOXtest can detect as little as 10 nanograms (0.00000001 grams) of alpha-amanitin per milliliter in a solution such as an extract of mushroom tissue or urine from an intoxicated human or animal. That’s sensitive enough to detect the toxin in a drop of water that’s dripped onto a Death Cap (Amanita phalloides) or Destroying Angel (Amanita ocreata, Amanita bisporigera, Amanita virosa, and others) mushroom and collected into the test port. Similarly, the urine from a human or animal that’s eaten the mushroom as much as three days earlier and as soon as three hours after ingestion still has enough toxin to give a positive test.
What is a negative readout test? The AMATOXtest is a negative readout test, which simply means that if there is toxin present in the sample there will be an absence of a lower stripe across the test readout. This means that a negative test will show two red stripes (upper and lower), while a positive test will show only the one, lower stripe. Please refer to our product insert, which is available here (Product-Insert) and our video demonstrating how to perform and interpret the test (How to use video), as well as the Why do you put some table salt into the tubes you send in the test kit? below for more information. We know that a negative readout test can be confusing, because other common tests of this kind are positive readout, which means that a single stripe will appear if the test is negative, and two stripes (or a stripe and a plus sign) will appear for a positive test. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions, we’ll respond promptly.
How long do the tests last? The original, published research on longevity (Bever2020_LFIA_mushrooms_PLOSONE-1) showed that the tests last at least 2 years, and more recent work showed that they last at least 3 years. We’re continuing to run experiments on the test strips to establish their shelf life, and we expect that they’re stable for 5 years or more when kept in their sealed packets at room temperature.
Does a negative test on a mushroom extract mean that the mushroom is edible? The short answer is NO. The longer answer is no, no, no no NO. The AMATOXtest only tests for the deadliest mushroom toxin, and there are many more toxic compounds in various mushrooms. And even the AMATOXtest isn’t infallible, so PLEASE don’t use the test to determine whether or not a mushroom is edible. Study the books, talk to other mushroom hunters, and use the web before even considering eating wild mushrooms.
Will this test identify my mushroom? No, this test will not provide you with a mushroom identification. If you know your Amanita, Galerina, and Lepiota genera, this test can help you narrow down if your particular species produces amanitins or not.
How can I get my mushroom identified? If it’s not an emergency, contact any number of local Mushroom Facebook groups (e.g., https://www.facebook.com/groups/MushroomIdentification/) or regional mycological clubs and societies (see here for a list of them: https://fungimag.com/links.htm). Location makes a very big difference, so providing location information is great and finding the local group helps as those members will be experienced with your area.
For an emergency (defined as someone or a pet has ingested a mushroom and exhibits abnormal signs or symptoms), you can contact the Toxins Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/144798092849300/) for identification. Be prepared to share your location and a picture of the mushroom – including pictures of the top of the cap, the underside of the cap showing its gills, and as much stem/stipe (including its base) as possible.
Or contact a professional mushroom identifier on the NAMA website https://namyco.org/mushroom_poisoning_identifiers.php.
How do I know if deadly mushrooms grow in my area? There are several ways to find out. You could join a local mycology group and learn about mushrooms. You could look at Mushroom Observer (https://mushroomobserver.org) or iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/) and search for the deadly species. Some common deadly species in North America are the Death cap (Amanita phalloides), the Destroying Angel (Amanita ocreata or Amanita bisporigera), and the Deadly skullcap (Galerina marginata). If interested, also look into some of the mushrooms listed on the wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amatoxin.
Why do you put some table salt into the tubes you send in the test kit? A bit of salt is necessary for the test to work correctly. In general, urine contains enough salt to make the test work unless it’s too dilute. But a mushroom extract does not contain enough salt. And too much salt doesn’t affect the test. If you’re extracting the mushrooms in the tubes provided (that have some dried salt inside), or putting a small amount of a urine sample into one of the tubes, this added salt will insure you’ll have an accurate test. NOTE: pure water (with no salt) will give a positive result on the AMATOXtest. Make sure you have some salt in your sample when you apply it to the test strip.
Why are my stripes very faint? One possible reason is that you left the test cassette exposed to high humidity for too long (an hour or more). Another possible reason is that you loaded the test with too much water or urine (ideally you will load 0.1 mL, or about three drops). It’s also possible that your sample contains some amanitins if the test line (the lower one) is substantially fainter than the control line (the upper one).
Is AMATOXtest a diagnostic test for amatoxin mushroom poisoning? The diagnosis of amatoxin poisoning in humans is based on a clinical triad that includes a history of foraged mushroom ingestion, vomiting and diarrhea beginning at least 6 and up to 24 hours later, and the subsequent development of liver injury as observed by climbing serum transaminase (liver enzyme) values. The diagnosis is more difficult in dogs as mushroom ingestion is often not observed and dogs tend to be poor historians.
AMATOXtest may detect amatoxin in urine samples up to 3 days after an ingestion. Enough amatoxin is present in urine samples within 120 minutes after ingestion to be detected, and therefore a positive AMATOXtest result is possible hours before any of the symptoms of amatoxin poisoning develop.
A positive result confirms the presence of amatoxin in a biological sample but does not diagnose amatoxin poisoning.
Is the AMATOXtest suitable for clinical testing? The AMATOXtest is not an FDA-approved device and is offered strictly for research purposes only.
What do I do if my test is positive?
For a mushroom: If you tested a mushroom extract, please put on gloves and gather up all the mushrooms similar to the one you tested. Put them in a garbage bag, splash some bleach on them, seal the bag and put it in a trash can that’s secure against animals and children.
For dog urine or vomit: If your dog is exhibiting symptoms of mushroom poisoning and you test the urine or vomit and get a positive result, immediately take your dog to a veterinarian. Contact us at [email protected] for more information about treatment options.
For human urine or vomit: Seek immediate medical attention, and inform your clinician of your positive test. Contact us at [email protected] for more information about treatment options.