Here are three helpful links to a video, the product insert that comes with every test, and a quick reference guide. We’ve also added instructions to this page for easy reference.
How to use the AMATOXtest
Testing a mushroom for amanitin:
First, WEAR GLOVES! While you’re unlikely to get sick from simply handling deadly amanitin-containing mushrooms, it’s possible, especially if you handle a lot of them. DISCARD the mushrooms after you’ve sampled them: collect in trash bags, splash them with bleach to deter animals and children from eating them, and put them in the trash. Remember, the AMATOXtest is NOT a test for edible mushrooms. A negative test does NOT mean the mushroom is edible.
—Tear off a small piece of the mushroom about the size of a grain of rice. Avoid any extraneous matter such as dirt and leaf or twig fragments. The picture to the left shows a piece of mushroom large enough to give an accurate test result.
—Place this piece of mushroom in the provided tube containing a bit of table salt.
—Add enough water to fill the tube to about 1/3rd of the total volume, then cap the tube and shake it for 30 seconds. Proceed to perform the test as described below, using the mushroom extract instead of urine. The picture to the left shows a piece of mushroom in the tube after shaking with water and salt.
Testing urine (or mushroom extract, see above) for amanitin
—Open the test cassette pouch and lay a cassette on a flat surface. Seal the remaining cassettes in the pouch they came in, along with the desiccant packets, until you’re ready to use them again. The picture to the left shows the cassette pouch, the droppers, and the tubes.
—Carefully open the tube containing the mushroom extract or urine. You have your gloves on, yes? Good. If you happen to get urine or extract on your skin, flush with water and then wash your hands.
—Using the supplied disposable dropper, draw up some of the urine or mushroom extract. Avoid drawing up pieces of the mushroom or other solids.
—Drip three drops of urine or extract into the circular opening of the cassette. Don’t put anything into the rectangular opening of the cassette. You’re wearing gloves, yes? Good.
—Watch the fluid soak into the strip inside the cassette and into the rectangular readout area. Cool, yes? Watch the video we made (see above), and below you’ll see the result of a negative (left) and positive (right) result. REMEMBER: Negative = two stripes, Positive = one stripe. The upper stripe farthest from the circular port is the control stripe that shows the test is working, and the lower stripe is the test stripe that shows whether or not amanitin is present. If the lower stripe shows up, amanitin is NOT present. If it doesn’t, then amanitin IS present.
—PLEASE don’t hesitate to ask for help! See below.
For more questions please contact us at [email protected]