Do Shrooms Go Bad?

Do shrooms go bad, The short answer is yes. “It is common sense,” says mycology teacher Ophelia Chong. “Like any vegetable, it will go bad.”

There are two basic ways that mushrooms can deteriorate. One is simply that they lose their potency. “Over time, the active chemicals will break down,” says Drew Bolitho, owner of k2sheetsshop.com. “It varies based on the storage method. Stored properly, mushrooms can last years.” Once mushrooms lose potency, they’re hard to dose correctly because there’s no way to tell exactly how much of their psychoactive compounds remain, says James Giordano, professor of neurology and biochemistry at Georgetown University Medical Center. 

Another possibility is that mushrooms can develop bacteria or mold. It’s essential to look out for signs that this has happened because you may be sensitive to whatever is responsible for making the mushrooms go bad, says Giordano. “Many people are very sensitive to mold spores; you can get sick to your stomach or develop respiratory problems,” he explains.

Do Fresh Shrooms Go Bad?

Fresh shrooms can rot, get moldy, or otherwise get contaminated quickly, especially if they’re not stored properly. However, it is possible to dry them so that they won’t go bad. “Fresh mushrooms should be stored in a paper bag with a paper towel at the bottom in a refrigerator,” says mycologist William Padilla-Brown. “If stored in a paper bag, they won’t go bad. They should just dry out unless the paper becomes oversaturated with water.