Mushrooms · Wild culinary mushroom
Orange birch bolete
Leccinum versipelle · also called Orange birch bolete; the related orange oak bolete is Leccinum aurantiacum
Orange birch bolete is a wild mushroom that people eat cooked. It is a food, and we found no human trial showing a health benefit from eating it. A 2026 review says some Leccinum can upset the stomach if not cooked properly, so thorough cooking is the general advice. Wild mushrooms can also carry mercury and other metals, and amounts vary many-fold from place to place.
General information, not medical advice. Last substantive update · Not medically reviewed. A named clinician has not signed off on this page. How this page is made
About Orange birch bolete
Orange birch bolete is a wild edible mushroom, eaten cooked. Its research is mostly about what is in it, especially mercury and other metals, and we found no human health trial. The cautions are practical: cook it thoroughly, never eat a wild mushroom unless an expert has identified it, and know that wild mushrooms can carry mercury, cadmium and radioactive caesium that depend on where they grew.
What it is, and the orange oak bolete
Orange birch bolete is a fungus, Leccinum versipelle, in the family Boletaceae. GBIF lists the name as accepted. The 2026 review lists Leccinum percandidum among its synonyms and says birch is the main host tree for many Leccinum, including this one.
Leccinum aurantiacum, often called the orange oak bolete, red-capped scaber or red aspen bolete, is a separate accepted species in GBIF, not an older name. The review says poplar hosts orange-capped types such as L. aurantiacum. Names are muddled in the literature: a 2026 Polish study of dried mushrooms calls L. aurantiacum 'orange birch bolete'. Check which Latin name a source uses. Where this page quotes a result for L. aurantiacum, it says so.
Food use and traditional use
The genus review calls Leccinum species among the most widely collected and eaten wild mushrooms in cool northern regions, and lists L. versipelle as edible in several countries. A Polish study notes the flesh darkens when cut, cooked or dried. That is a described feature, not a test of safety or identity. We found no traditional medicine use in the sources we read, so none is claimed.
What the research shows
A Polish study of 72 wild samples of both species reported linoleic, oleic and palmitic acid as the main fatty acids. A Czech study found L. versipelle held more copper, selenium, zinc and cadmium than the soil around it. A food-science paper boiled L. aurantiacum and found it tender. All of this is chemistry or lab work. We found no human trial of either species for any health outcome; our search was not exhaustive.
Mercury, other metals and radioactivity
In 371 wild L. versipelle from 19 Polish sites, median cap mercury was 0.65 mg per kg dry weight, and the middle value at each site ran from 0.20 to 2.0. The authors estimate that a 300 g fresh meal once a week from some regions could give more mercury than the provisional weekly limit they used, while most locations stayed below it. Citing another paper, they say ordinary cooking such as blanching for 10 minutes removes only about 10 percent of mercury. For the related L. aurantiacum, a second Polish study found site means of 0.27 to 1.3 micrograms per gram.
In 15 dried samples sold as L. aurantiacum on the Polish market, median cadmium was 0.68 mg per kg dry weight, lead 0.183, mercury 0.065 and arsenic 1.321. At the authors' assumed 3.6 g of dried mushroom a day, the combined hazard score was 0.28, below 1. Dried mushroom is concentrated, so always check whether a figure is per fresh or per dried weight.
L. versipelle was one of three bolete species in a Baltic-coast study of caesium-137 (8 specimens). Pooled across the three, blanching cut caesium-137 by 15 percent and blanching with vinegar pickling by 55 percent, and the authors say home processing may be less effective than thought. The genus review says caesium-137 is still raised in parts of Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Natural polonium, uranium and thorium in related Leccinum added only small estimated doses. These are research findings, not cooking advice. We found no caesium-137 figure for L. aurantiacum.
Legal and regulatory status
We did not read EFSA, FDA or national limits for mercury, cadmium or radiocaesium in mushrooms, so none is stated here. The one guidance page we read in full (Penn State Extension) is not a regulator statement about orange birch bolete. Rules differ by country and change.
At a glance
Traditional uses history, not proof
- Eaten as a wild mushroom in northern and eastern Europe and Canada (2026 genus review lists it as edible in several countries).
- No traditional medicine use was found in the sources we read.
Studied for research
- Nutrition as a food, insufficient evidence of any health effect
- Minerals taken up from soil, insufficient (this also means cadmium)
- Antioxidant, immune and anti-tumour labels for the genus, insufficient (review statements, no human trial)
Main compounds
- Fatty acids such as linoleic, oleic and palmitic acid
- Copper, selenium and zinc taken up from the soil
- Mercury, cadmium and, in dried L. aurantiacum, lead and arsenic
- Caesium-137 and natural radionuclides in small amounts
Common forms
- Fresh, thoroughly cooked mushroom
- Dried mushroom (sold dried on the Polish market, tested for metals)
- Boiled (tested in a lab food-science study)
- Powders, extracts and capsules (not assessed in the sources we read)
Research links: Penn State Extension: Preparing and preserving mushrooms · The genus Leccinum: a 2026 review (abstract) · Mercury in orange birch bolete (abstract) · Metals in commercial dried mushrooms, Poland (abstract) · Caesium-137 and home processing of boletes (abstract) · Mercury in red aspen bolete (abstract) · Research Library · Genes & Biomarkers Library
What it is and its history
- Accepted scientific name
- Leccinum versipelle
- Naming authority
- (Fr.) Snell (GBIF)
- Synonyms
- Leccinum percandidum and Leccinum testaceoscabrum (listed as synonyms of L. versipelle in the 2026 genus review)
- Common names
- Orange birch bolete (English); Orange oak bolete (this name is used for the related Leccinum aurantiacum) (English); Red-capped scaber / red aspen bolete (names used for Leccinum aurantiacum in papers) (English)
- Family or group
- Boletaceae (a fungus family; boletes), not a plant
- Classification
- Fungi > Basidiomycota > Agaricomycetes > Boletales > Boletaceae > Leccinum > Leccinum versipelle
- Native range
- The genus review lists L. versipelle as edible in several European countries and Canada. Its full range was not checked.
- Habitat
- The genus review says birch is the main host tree for many Leccinum, including L. versipelle, and that poplar hosts orange-capped types such as L. aurantiacum. The fungus lives on tree roots and forms the mushroom above ground.
- What it looks like
- Fruiting body: Not described here. Identification of wild mushrooms must be done in person by an expert, so no field description is given. One paper notes that the flesh of L. versipelle darkens when cut, cooked or dried; this is not an identification test.
- Cultivation
- Wild-collected in the sources read.
- Harvest and processing
- Eaten cooked. Boiled L. aurantiacum was tender in a lab food-science study. Details not checked.
- Look-alikes and adulterants
- Name: Other orange-capped Leccinum species; Note: The genus review says some guides do not recommend certain orange-capped Leccinum because of possible toxicity. No source we read names species that look like orange birch bolete.
- Sustainability and conservation
- Not checked.
Traditional use and history history, not clinical proof
| Tradition or era | Documented use | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Food use | The genus review calls Leccinum species among the most widely collected and consumed wild mushrooms in boreal and temperate regions, and lists both species as edible in several countries. No traditional medicine history was found in the sources read, so none is stated. | p41590482 |
Traditional use shows how it was used. It does not show that it works or is safe today.
What is inside, and how it may work
What it contains and how those compounds act in cells and animals. Laboratory and animal mechanisms are not proven effects in people.
Main compounds
| Compound | Family | Where it is concentrated | Activity studied | Level of evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fatty acids (linoleic, oleic and palmitic acid) | fatty acids | Cap and stipe Figures not in the abstract. | Composition fact. 10 | Compositional analysis |
| Mercury, cadmium and other elements taken up from soil | elements | Caps held more mercury than stems Median cap mercury 0.65 mg per kg dry weight across 19 Polish sites. | Exposure, not benefit. 7 8 | Compositional analysis |
Mechanisms, receptors and pathways
| Target or pathway | Gene or receptor | What was found | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uptake of elements from soil | not specified | L. versipelle held more silver, rubidium, copper, selenium, zinc and cadmium than the surrounding soil in one Czech forest; mercury uptake fell as soil mercury rose in the Polish study. 8 7 | Compositional analysis |
Absorption, metabolism and elimination
- Absorption
- Not found for these species.
- Distribution
- Not found.
- Metabolism
- Not found.
- Elimination
- Not found.
- Bioavailability
- Not established.
Isolated compounds versus whole extracts
Orange birch bolete is eaten as a cooked whole food. No powder, extract or capsule was assessed in the sources read.
Nutritional composition
A Polish study reports the fatty acids of both species; no protein, fibre or vitamin numbers were found in the sources we read, so no nutrient table is given.
4 not enough evidence
What was looked at
The 4 benefits and uses checked for Orange birch bolete, each with how strong the evidence is. Tap one to open it.
What is Orange birch bolete good for?
The uses people ask about and how strong the human evidence is for each. None is proven for orange birch bolete. Read this together with the Safety tab.
Benefits, one by one
Each card is a research question, not a promise. Tap a goal to filter. Open a card to see the studies, doses and limits.
Nutrition as a food (fatty acids)
Not enough evidenceIn 72 wild samples of orange birch bolete and orange oak bolete from three regions of Poland, the main fatty acids were linoleic, oleic and palmitic acid. This describes what is in the food. No trial shows a health benefit from eating it.
1 studiesEaten cooked. Dried mushroom is concentrated, so figures per gram of …
Studies, doses and limits
What the trials found
No human trial of eating orange birch bolete was found.
Results
Linoleic, oleic and palmitic acids were the main fatty acids; the profile varied with species, region and mushroom part. The authors say the high polyunsaturated fat content means the mushroom may be recommended in different diets. No diet was tested.
Why this rating
Composition data only (one Polish study of Leccinum aurantiacum and L. versipelle); no study measured a health effect of eating it.
Form and dose studied
Eaten cooked. Dried mushroom is concentrated, so figures per gram of dried and fresh mushroom are not comparable.
Who was studied
General food use
Limits
Three regions of Poland; wild samples differ by place and season. The two species are reported together in the abstract.
Why researchers looked
It is mainly a food, so most research measures what is in it rather than what it does in people.
Traditional use
No traditional medicine use was found in the sources we read.
Proposed mechanism Compositional analysis
Not applicable: this is a composition fact, not a mechanism.
A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.
Wild orange birch bolete can carry mercury and other metals and must be cooked; see the Safety tab.
Antioxidant, immune and anti-tumour activity labels (genus review)
Not enough evidenceA 2026 review of the genus Leccinum says its fungi show antioxidant, immune-modulating and anti-tumour activity in the studies it gathered. The abstract does not say which species. We could not check those studies, and none was in people.
1 studiesLab extracts, not cooked mushroom.
Studies, doses and limits
Results
The review text names anti-tumour activity for other Leccinum species (L. vulpinum, L. scabrum, L. lanipes) in lab studies, not for orange birch bolete or orange oak bolete.
Why this rating
A genus-level label from a review; no species-specific or human data.
Form and dose studied
Lab extracts, not cooked mushroom.
Limits
We could not open the underlying studies. A lab activity is not a benefit from eating a cooked portion.
Why researchers looked
Mushrooms are often tested in the lab for antioxidant and immune-related activity.
Proposed mechanism Narrative review label
Review statement about extracts and cell lines in general; the mechanism was not checked.
A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.
Wild orange birch bolete can carry mercury and other metals and must be cooked; see the Safety tab.
Minerals taken up from the soil
Not enough evidenceIn wild orange birch bolete from a Czech forest, the mushroom held more copper, selenium and zinc than the soil around it. A review adds that orange birch bolete from northern Russia concentrated potassium and copper. This describes what the mushroom absorbs, which also includes cadmium. It does not show a health benefit.
2 studiesEaten cooked.
Studies, doses and limits
Results
Leccinum versipelle bioconcentration factors in the Czech forest: copper 2.4, selenium 1.9, zinc 1.6, cadmium 1.6, silver 28, rubidium 5.2.
Why this rating
Element levels in one forest; nothing is known about absorption in people, and the same uptake brings cadmium.
Form and dose studied
Eaten cooked.
Limits
One forest; abstract-level figures; a review summary for the Russian data that we could not trace.
Why researchers looked
Wild mushrooms absorb elements from the soil, which is studied for both nutrition and contamination.
Proposed mechanism Compositional analysis
Uptake from soil by the fungus (bioconcentration factor above 1).
A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.
Cadmium and silver were taken up too; see the Safety tab.
Texture and flavour when boiled
Not enough evidenceIn a food-science study, boiled Leccinum aurantiacum had a tender texture and chocolate-like and fatty aromas. This is about eating quality, not health.
1 studiesBoiled for 20 minutes in the lab method.
Studies, doses and limits
Results
A tender texture with bitter amino acids shaping its taste; Suillus luteus was judged most suitable for boiling.
Why this rating
A culinary comparison; not a health outcome.
Form and dose studied
Boiled for 20 minutes in the lab method.
Limits
Commercial samples of five species; not L. versipelle.
Why researchers looked
Cooks and food scientists compare how boletes behave in the pot.
Proposed mechanism Food science
Not applicable.
A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.
The study did not measure toxins or test safety.
Connections to the rest of health
How Orange birch bolete connects to the rest of our health knowledge graph. Every link says what kind of connection it is. A safety link (for example to the liver) is a warning, not a benefit. A study that merely mentions a topic never creates a benefit link.
Explore every connection: goals, body systems, organs, symptoms, genes
E. Health conditions
| Connected to | Kind of connection | Evidence status | Context | Studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mushroom poisoning | Adverse effect or risk | Low certainty | Genus review and extension guidance. Preparation or compound: Undercooked or misidentified wild mushrooms |
1 9 |
G. Root causes and contributing factors
| Connected to | Kind of connection | Evidence status | Context | Studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy metal exposure | Moderate certainty | Mercury varies ten-fold between sites; cadmium and arsenic in dried L. aurantiacum. Preparation or compound: Wild orange birch bolete |
7 2 3 | |
| Environmental toxins | Low certainty | Caesium-137 depends strongly on region; home processing removed only part. Preparation or compound: Wild orange birch bolete (radiocaesium and natural radionuclides) |
4 1 |
L. Active compounds
| Connected to | Kind of connection | Evidence status | Context | Studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fatty acids (linoleic, oleic and palmitic acid) | Biological association | Compositional analysis | Composition fact. Preparation or compound: Cap and stipe |
10 |
| Mercury, cadmium and other elements taken up from soil | Biological association | Compositional analysis | Exposure, not benefit. Preparation or compound: Caps held more mercury than stems |
7 8 |
Each connection is stored with the ingredient, the connected record, the kind of connection, the evidence status, the supporting studies, the preparation or compound involved, and a review date (last reviewed October 25, 2026).
Evidence at a glance: what the research found for 4 outcomes
Each outcome below is one thing researchers measured. Certainty is how far the evidence can be trusted, not how well it works. The full studies are on the next tab.
The evidence
The research centre for Orange birch bolete. Every record here was checked against PubMed or the publisher's page; we never list a study we have not verified.
Evidence by outcome
Bars show how many studies we found for each outcome, not how well it works. People are added up across trials only (reviews are not added, to avoid double counting).
How we rate evidence
High certainty
Several well-run trials or reviews agree; further research is unlikely to change the picture much.
Moderate certainty
Good trials point the same way, but some doubt remains.
Low certainty
Small, short or inconsistent trials. The finding could change with better research.
Very low certainty
Very little or very weak human data. Treat as a possibility only.
Mixed findings
Trials or reviews disagree with each other.
Not enough evidence
Not enough human research to say either way.
Evidence against
Good research found no benefit, or found harm.
We take the reviewers' own risk-of-bias and GRADE statements where they exist, and otherwise judge from study size, design, consistency, directness and whether a product matches what is sold. Many publications do not make evidence high. Method note: We read PubMed records for eleven papers: abstracts for all eleven, plus the full text of five (the genus review, the mercury study, the dried-mushroom study, the boiling study and the caesium study) through Europe PMC. We also read the Penn State Extension guidance page in full and checked both names in GBIF. Index Fungorum, EFSA, FDA and poison-centre statements were not read, and the genus review's own sources on poisoning were not opened. Certainty ratings are the compiler's own reading.
Study library: every study we checked 14
| Study | Design | People | Product, dose, length | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budau 2026 The Genus Leccinum: Global Advances in Taxonomy, Ecology, Nutritional Value, and Environmental Significance. Journal of Fungi · PMID 41590482 · DOI |
Narrative review n/a |
Review of 293 publications on the genus Leccinum | Leccinum species, mostly lab and composition studies fruiting body Not shown here |
The abstract says Leccinum species are rich in proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, polysaccharides, phenolic compounds and umami-related peptides, with antioxidant, immunomodulatory and antitumour activities reported, and that the genus accumulates heavy metals (mainly mercury, cadmium, lead) and radionuclides. In the full text we read: some Leccinum can cause stomach and bowel upset if not cooked properly, there are reports of Leccinum poisonings, the general recommendation is to cook thoroughly, and some guides do not recommend certain types, such as orange-capped Leccinum, because of possible toxicity. It lists L. versipelle and L. aurantiacum as separate species, notes that birch is the main host tree for many Leccinum including L. versipelle and that poplar hosts orange-capped types such as L. aurantiacum, and says caesium-137 is still raised in parts of Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Taxonomy, ecology, composition, bioactivity, metals and radionuclides Limitations: Narrative review: the sources behind the poisoning statement (its references 137 and 138) were not opened. Few details for these two species; mostly lab and composition work. Funding and conflicts: Funding statement not checked Read: abstract and full text (Europe PMC, PMC12842815) |
| Domagalska 2026 Evaluation of Toxic Elements in Commercial Dried Mushrooms from the Polish Market: Exposure Assessment and Health Risk Characterization. Molecules · PMID 42280168 · DOI |
Laboratory survey n/a |
164 samples of six species; 15 were Leccinum aurantiacum Commercial dried mushrooms on the Polish market, mostly 2024 harvest |
Dried mushrooms (the paper calls Leccinum aurantiacum "orange birch bolete") fruiting body Not shown here |
For the 15 dried Leccinum aurantiacum samples, median cadmium was 0.68 mg per kg dry weight (range 0.38 to 1.56), lead 0.183 (below the detection limit to 0.636), mercury 0.065 (0.032 to 0.134) and arsenic 1.321 (up to 2.850). Lead and arsenic values below the detection limit were replaced by a fixed value. At the authors' assumed intake of 3.6 g dried mushroom a day, the mean combined hazard index for this species was 0.28, below the limit of 1. The authors assumed all arsenic was the more harmful inorganic form. In other species the paper found one extreme arsenic outlier (Imleria badia, hazard index 63.57) and lower mercury and arsenic in certified organic products overall, and calls for monitoring of harvesting areas. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic; estimated health-risk score Limitations: Only 15 samples of this species, from a few suppliers; origin and exact species identity of commercial dried products not verified. The paper's name 'orange birch bolete' is applied to L. aurantiacum, not L. versipelle. Funding and conflicts: Funded by a regional science fund (Metropolis GZM grant) and the publication fee by a medical university; authors declare no conflicts of interest Read: abstract and full text (Europe PMC, PMC13258499) |
| Falandysz 2012 Mercury in Red Aspen Boletes (Leccinum aurantiacum) mushrooms and the soils. Journal of Environmental Science and Health. Part A · PMID 22702831 · DOI |
Laboratory survey n/a |
Nine sites across Poland Wild Leccinum aurantiacum ("Red Aspen Bolete") and forest soil from nine Polish sites |
Leccinum aurantiacum caps and stipes fruiting body Not shown here |
Mean mercury in caps ranged from 0.27 +/- 0.07 to 1.3 +/- 0.6 micrograms per gram dry weight depending on the site. A meal of 300 g of fresh caps was estimated to give 8.1 micrograms of mercury at one site and 39 micrograms at another, which the authors put at 39 and 186 percent of the daily mercury reference dose. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Mercury in mushrooms and soil; estimated exposure Limitations: Abstract only was read. Nine sites; mercury only; the reference dose used is the authors' choice. Funding and conflicts: Listed in PubMed as research supported by a non-US government source; conflict statement not read Read: abstract |
| Falandysz 2022 Effect of drying, blanching, pickling and maceration on the fate of 40K, total K and 137Cs in bolete mushrooms and dietary intake. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International · PMID 34338984 · DOI |
Laboratory study n/a |
Three species: Boletus edulis, Leccinum scabrum, Leccinum versipelle (8 L. versipelle specimens) Wild boletes collected near the southern Baltic coast (Gdansk area, Poland) in September 2015 |
Fresh, blanched, blanched and vinegar-pickled, dried and macerated bolete flesh fruiting body Not shown here |
Across the three species, blanching cut caesium-137 by 15 +/- 13 percent, blanching with vinegar pickling by 55 +/- 8 percent, and maceration of dried powder by 38 +/- 11 percent. The authors say traditional home processing may not remove caesium-137 as well as some other studies showed. A 100 g portion of processed mushroom was projected to hold 0.51 to 12 Bq per kg, with a low estimated dose (0.001 to 0.010 microsieverts per person). The abstract does not give species-specific results. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Caesium-137 and potassium-40 after home processing; projected intake Limitations: Figures in the abstract are pooled across three species; only 8 L. versipelle specimens, one coast and one year. It describes research findings, not cooking advice. Funding and conflicts: No funding and no conflict of interest declared Read: abstract and full text (Europe PMC, PMC8724179) |
| GBIF Secretariat 2026 GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Leccinum versipelle api.gbif.org · Source |
Taxonomic database n/a |
n/a | n/a Not shown here |
Species match checked through the GBIF API on 2026-10-25: Leccinum versipelle (Fr.) Snell, status ACCEPTED, family Boletaceae, usage key 2524490. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Accepted name Limitations: Index Fungorum was not checked. Funding and conflicts: n/a Read: database record |
| GBIF Secretariat 2026 GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Leccinum aurantiacum api.gbif.org · Source |
Taxonomic database n/a |
n/a | n/a Not shown here |
Species match checked through the GBIF API on 2026-10-25: Leccinum aurantiacum (Bull.) Gray, status ACCEPTED, family Boletaceae, usage key 2524513. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Accepted name Limitations: Index Fungorum was not checked. Funding and conflicts: n/a Read: database record |
| Krasinska 2016 Mercury in Orange Birch Bolete Leccinum versipelle and soil substratum: bioconcentration by mushroom and probable dietary intake by consumers. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International · PMID 26347421 · DOI |
Laboratory survey n/a |
371 fruiting bodies, 204 soil samples, 19 localities Wild Leccinum versipelle collected at distant sites across Poland (collected 1998 to 2008 per the full text; published online 2015) |
Leccinum versipelle caps and stipes, dried and analysed for mercury fruiting body Not shown here |
Median mercury in caps was 0.65 mg per kg dry weight across 19 localities; site medians ranged from 0.20 to 2.0. Caps of the highest site (Starachowice forests) held 2.0 +/- 0.4. The authors estimate that a 300 g fresh meal once a week of mushrooms from some regions could give mercury doses above the provisional tolerable weekly intake of 0.004 mg per kg body mass, while regular eating from most locations stayed below that limit. In the full text they say the flesh of L. versipelle quickly darkens when cut, cooked or dried, and, citing a different paper, that loss of mercury on cooking is relatively low (around 10 percent) with ordinary processing such as blanching for 10 minutes. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Mercury in mushrooms and soil; estimated intake Limitations: Measures mercury only, not any health outcome. Mercury loss on cooking is quoted from another paper, not measured here. Wild samples from background (unpolluted) sites; other places differ. Funding and conflicts: Listed in PubMed as research supported by a non-US government source; authors' conflict statement not read Read: abstract and full text (Europe PMC, PMC4712221) |
| Krejsa 2021 Detrimental and essential elements in fruiting bodies of mushrooms with ecological relationship to birch (Betula sp.) collected in the Bohemian Forest, the Czech Republic. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International · PMID 34268685 · DOI |
Laboratory survey n/a |
Four species; sample numbers not stated in the abstract Wild mushrooms collected near Vimperk, Bohemian Forest, Czech Republic |
Leccinum versipelle fruiting bodies analysed for 21 elements fruiting body Not shown here |
For L. versipelle the bioconcentration factors were 28 for silver, 5.2 for rubidium, 2.4 for copper, 1.9 for selenium, 1.6 for zinc and 1.6 for cadmium, meaning the mushroom held more of these elements than the soil around it. Leccinum scabrum showed a similar pattern. The abstract does not give concentrations for L. versipelle. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Element content and bioconcentration factors Limitations: Abstract only was read. One forest area; no health outcome. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract Read: abstract |
| Penn State Extension 2024 Penn State Extension: Preparing and Preserving Mushrooms extension.psu.edu · Source |
Authoritative guidance n/a |
n/a | n/a Not shown here |
Page text read on 2026-10-25. It says only an expert can tell poisonous from edible mushrooms, that you should not forage your own mushrooms unless you are an expert, and that no matter how much you cook or dry mushrooms you will not destroy their toxins. The page shows 'Updated: November 22, 2024'. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Safety statements about wild mushrooms Limitations: University extension guidance, not a regulator statement; not specific to orange birch bolete. Funding and conflicts: Public university Read: full text |
| Pietrzak-Fiecko 2020 Impact of Mushrooms' Vegetative Places and Morphological Parts of a Fruiting Body on the Fatty Acids Profile of Wild Leccinum aurantiacum and Leccinum versipelle. Chemistry & Biodiversity · PMID 32125078 · DOI |
Laboratory composition n/a |
72 samples (caps and stipes) from three regions of Poland Wild Leccinum aurantiacum and Leccinum versipelle from Poland |
Caps and stipes, fatty acid analysis by gas chromatography fruiting body Not shown here |
Linoleic, oleic and palmitic acids were the main fatty acids in all samples. The profile varied with species, region and the part of the mushroom. The authors say the high polyunsaturated fatty acid content means the mushrooms may be recommended in different types of diets. That is the authors' view; no diet or health outcome was tested. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Fatty acid profile Limitations: Abstract only was read. Composition only; no person ate the mushrooms in a study. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract Read: abstract |
| Strumińska-Parulska 2016 Determination of 210Po and 210Pb in red-capped scaber (Leccinum aurantiacum): bioconcentration and possible related dose assessment. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International · PMID 27557963 · DOI |
Laboratory survey n/a |
Not stated in the abstract Leccinum aurantiacum collected in northern Poland |
Leccinum aurantiacum fruiting bodies fruiting body Not shown here |
Activity of polonium-210 and lead-210 differed by sampling site and did not reflect the topsoil. The authors conclude that eating the analysed mushrooms should not raise the total effective radiation dose from these radionuclides significantly. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Polonium-210 and lead-210; estimated dose Limitations: Abstract only was read; the abstract gives no figures. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract Read: abstract |
| Szymanska 2018 210Po and 210Pb in forest mushrooms of genus Leccinum and topsoil from northern Poland and its contribution to the radiation dose. Chemosphere · PMID 30216813 · DOI |
Laboratory survey n/a |
Three Leccinum species from northern Poland Orange oak bolete (Leccinum aurantiacum var. quercinum), foxy bolete and slate bolete from northern Poland |
Dried whole Leccinum fruiting bodies fruiting body Not shown here |
Whole dried mushrooms held 0.59 +/- 0.38 to 3.2 +/- 0.2 Bq of polonium-210 per kg and 0.45 +/- 0.04 to 3.1 +/- 0.2 Bq of lead-210 per kg. The authors estimate that eating 0.5 kg of dried Leccinum mushrooms contributes 0.90 to 3.81 microsieverts a year from polonium-210 and 0.31 to 2.14 from lead-210, a small part of the yearly dose from these radionuclides for people in the region. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Natural radioactive polonium-210 and lead-210; estimated dose Limitations: Abstract only was read. Orange oak bolete is treated here as L. aurantiacum var. quercinum; it is not L. versipelle. Natural radioactivity, not fallout. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract Read: abstract |
| Szymanska 2020 Uranium (234U, 238U) and thorium (230Th, 232Th) in mushrooms of genus Leccinum and Leccinellum and the potential effective ionizing radiation dose assessment for human. Chemosphere · PMID 32088620 · DOI |
Laboratory survey n/a |
Five taxa from northern Poland Red-capped scaber (Leccinum aurantiacum) and related Leccinum taxa from boreal forests of northern Poland |
Leccinum and Leccinellum fruiting bodies fruiting body Not shown here |
The mushrooms took up uranium and thorium from soil to some degree but all bioconcentration factors were below 1. The authors estimate that eating them adds at most about 0.9 microsieverts a year to the radiation dose and call the exposure low. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Natural uranium and thorium; estimated dose Limitations: Abstract only was read. Natural radioactivity, not fallout. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract Read: abstract |
| Zhang 2025 Assessing the suitability of boiling in the boletus species: a multimodal analysis of texture, flavor, and volatile profiles. Food Chemistry: X · PMID 41140609 · DOI |
Laboratory food science n/a |
Five bolete species; sample numbers not stated in the abstract Five commercial bolete species, boiled in the lab (Leccinum aurantiacum was one) |
Boiled bolete fruiting bodies (boiled in water in a 1:10 ratio for 20 minutes per the methods) fruiting body Not shown here |
The abstract says Leccinum aurantiacum was among the boiled species with a tender texture, with bitter amino acids shaping its taste and chocolate and fatty aromas, and that Suillus luteus was judged the most suitable for boiling. The introduction says that about 40 Boletus species contain trace levels of toxins that may pose risks if eaten without proper processing and that boiling degrades residual toxins; this is a general statement quoted from another paper. The study did not measure any toxin. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Texture, taste compounds and aroma compounds after boiling Limitations: A food-quality study, not a safety study. No unboiled comparison and no toxin measured. Species identity of the commercial samples not checked here. Funding and conflicts: Not checked Read: abstract and full text (Europe PMC, PMC12547832) |
What we do not know yet
- No source naming poisonous look-alikes of orange birch bolete was read, and the genus review's own poisoning sources were not opened.
- No allergy, pregnancy, breastfeeding, child, liver or medicine-interaction data for these species.
- No regulatory limits for metals or radiocaesium in mushrooms were read.
- No caesium-137 figure for orange oak bolete was found.
- No human trial of either species for any health outcome was found.
- Survey figures are for particular places and years and may not match any mushroom you collect or buy.
How new research is added
New studies are found by a saved PubMed search and placed in a review queue. A person reads each one before it changes any evidence rating or safety wording. New publications never change ratings automatically.
Lab markers
What changed in blood or saliva tests during trials. A changed number is not the same as feeling or being healthier, and we give no "normal ranges".
Safety
What studies and official sources say about side effects, medicines and who should check first. Each point shows what kind of evidence it comes from.
Main points to know 4
- Cook it thoroughly: Leccinum can upset the stomach if not cooked properly. A 2026 review of the genus Leccinum says some species can cause stomach and bowel problems if they are not cooked properly, that there are reports of Leccinum poisonings, and that the general recommendation is to cook the mushroom thoroughly. It adds that some guides do not recommend certain types, such as orange-capped Leccinum mushrooms, because of potential toxicity. The review's own sources for these statements were not opened, and it does not say how often this happens. Do not eat orange birch bolete raw. Narrative review 1
- A wrong mushroom is not made safe by cooking or drying. Penn State Extension says only an expert can tell poisonous from edible mushrooms, that you should not forage your own mushrooms unless you are an expert, and that no amount of cooking or drying destroys their toxins. Never eat a wild mushroom on the strength of a web page, photo or app. We read no source naming poisonous look-alikes of orange birch bolete, so none is named here. Authoritative guidance 9
- Mercury varies ten-fold with where it grew. In 371 wild orange birch bolete fruiting bodies from 19 Polish sites, cap mercury had a median of 0.65 mg per kg dry weight, and the middle value at each site ran from 0.20 to 2.0. The authors estimate that a 300 g fresh meal once a week of mushrooms from some regions could pass the provisional weekly intake limit they used (0.004 mg per kg of body weight), while most locations stayed below it. The related orange oak bolete (L. aurantiacum) showed site means from 0.27 to 1.3 in a second Polish study. Laboratory survey 7 3
- Cadmium, lead and arsenic in dried products. In 15 dried commercial samples sold as Leccinum aurantiacum, median cadmium was 0.68 mg per kg dry weight, lead 0.183, mercury 0.065 and arsenic 1.321. At the authors' assumed 3.6 g of dried mushroom a day the hazard score was 0.28, below 1. The same paper found one extreme arsenic outlier in a different mushroom, so batches vary. Laboratory survey 2
Side effects 3
| Effect | How often | Severity and recovery | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stomach and bowel upset if not cooked properly (Leccinum in general) Statement from a genus review whose underlying sources were not opened. It gives no figures for orange birch bolete itself and no named toxin. | Not found | not stated in the review not stated | Narrative review 1 |
| Poisoning from a wrongly identified wild mushroom General guidance, not specific to orange birch bolete. | Not found | can be serious unknown | Authoritative guidance 9 |
| Allergy to mushrooms No orange birch bolete allergy report was found in the sources read; mushroom allergy exists in general. | Not found | unknown unknown | None found |
Liver
No liver injury from eating orange birch bolete was found in the sources read. This is absence of evidence, not proof of safety.
Monitoring. Seek medical care for poisoning signs; no routine monitoring is suggested by the sources read.
This is a safety connection. It is not evidence that Orange birch bolete supports liver health.
Medicines and supplements 2
| With | Why it matters | Importance | Evidence | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prescription and over-the-counter medicines prescription | No interaction report for orange birch bolete was found in the sources read. This is absence of evidence, not proof of safety. | None found Not enough evidence | Ask a pharmacist if you take regular medicines and plan to eat wild mushrooms often. | |
| Herbs and supplements supplement | No supplement product of either species was assessed in the sources read. | None found Not enough evidence | Ask a pharmacist before combining mushroom products with other supplements. |
Who should check first 4
| Situation | Advice | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anyone who cannot be sure of the mushroom's identity | Do not eat it. Only an expert can separate poisonous from edible mushrooms, and cooking or drying does not destroy toxins (Penn State Extension). | Authoritative guidance 9 |
| Eating it raw or undercooked | Do not. The genus review says some Leccinum can upset the stomach and bowel if not cooked properly. | Narrative review 1 |
| Pregnancy, breastfeeding and young children | No safety data on orange birch bolete were found for these groups. Because wild mushrooms can carry mercury and other metals, ask a clinician before eating them regularly. | None found 7 |
| Known mushroom allergy | Ask an allergy specialist before eating or handling mushrooms. | None found |
Overdose, product quality and regulators
Summary. Orange birch bolete is eaten as a wild food. The hazards found in the sources read are poor cooking, mistaken identity of wild mushrooms, and metals taken up from the soil. No toxin of these species was identified in the sources read.
Animal. Not reviewed.
Human doses studied. No dose studies. No amounts are advised here.
High dose or long term signals. Metal intake would add up with frequent large servings of mushrooms from high-mercury areas; the Polish authors compare a weekly 300 g meal with a provisional mercury limit.
Genotoxicity. Not read.
Toxic or hazardous parts. Fungus: cap and stem are eaten. Mercury was higher in caps than stems in the Polish study.
Orange birch bolete is wild-collected, so what it carries depends on the soil, the region and the year. Dried mushroom is concentrated, so a figure per kg of dried mushroom is far higher than one per kg of fresh. Always check which basis a number uses and which Latin name a paper uses.
Mercury in Leccinum versipelle. 371 fruiting bodies from 19 Polish localities: median cap mercury 0.65 mg per kg dry weight; site medians 0.20 to 2.0; the authors say a weekly 300 g meal from some regions could pass the provisional weekly limit they used. They also note, citing another paper, that ordinary cooking such as 10 minutes of blanching removes only about 10 percent of mercury. 7
Mercury in Leccinum aurantiacum. Nine Polish sites: mean cap mercury 0.27 to 1.3 micrograms per gram dry weight; a 300 g fresh-cap meal estimated at 8.1 to 39 micrograms, which the authors put at 39 to 186 percent of the daily reference dose they used. 3
Cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic in dried L. aurantiacum. 15 samples: median cadmium 0.68, lead 0.183, mercury 0.065, arsenic 1.321 mg per kg dry weight; mean hazard index 0.28 at an assumed 3.6 g dried mushroom a day. The authors assumed all arsenic was inorganic. 2
Cadmium uptake. In a Czech forest, L. versipelle held about 1.6 times the cadmium of the soil around it (bioconcentration factor 1.6). 8
Radioactive caesium and home processing. L. versipelle was one of three bolete species in a Baltic-coast study (8 specimens). Pooled across species, blanching cut caesium-137 by 15 percent, blanching with vinegar pickling by 55 percent and maceration of dried powder by 38 percent. The authors say home processing may be less effective than earlier studies showed. We found no caesium-137 figure for orange oak bolete. A genus review says caesium-137 is still raised in parts of Ukraine and Eastern Europe. This is a lab finding, not cooking advice. 4 1
Natural radioactivity (polonium, lead-210, uranium, thorium). In Leccinum aurantiacum and related taxa from northern Poland, the authors estimate that eating 0.5 kg of dried mushroom adds 0.90 to 3.81 microsieverts a year from polonium-210, and uranium and thorium add at most about 0.9; they call these small. 12 13 11
| Body | Action | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Penn State Extension (United States (university)) | Says only an expert can tell poisonous from edible mushrooms, not to forage unless an expert, and that cooking or drying does not destroy toxins. source | 2024-11-22 |
When to get medical help
If someone may be poisoned or in a crisis, contact a clinician or emergency service straight away. In the US, Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222.
General information only, not medical advice. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before use, especially with medicines, in pregnancy or with a health condition. See the Natural Remedy Safety guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is orange birch bolete?
Is orange birch bolete the same as orange oak bolete?
Can you eat orange birch bolete raw?
No. A 2026 genus review says some Leccinum can upset the stomach and bowel if not cooked properly, and that thorough cooking is the general advice.
Can orange birch bolete poison you?
Is orange birch bolete healthy or medicinal?
Does orange birch bolete contain mercury?
Yes, wild samples do, and amounts vary many-fold by place. In 371 Polish fruiting bodies the median cap mercury was 0.65 mg per kg dry weight, with site medians from 0.20 to 2.0.
Does cooking remove mercury from the mushroom?
Only a little, according to the authors of the Polish mercury study. Citing another paper, they say ordinary cooking such as blanching for 10 minutes removes around 10 percent. Where the mushroom grew matters far more.
Is orange birch bolete radioactive?
Wild mushrooms can hold caesium-137 from old fallout, and natural radionuclides in small amounts. L. versipelle was one of three species in a Baltic-coast study; pooled results showed blanching cut caesium-137 by 15 percent and vinegar pickling with blanching by 55 percent. A review says caesium-137 is still raised in parts of Ukraine and Eastern Europe.
What mushrooms look like orange birch bolete?
We read no source that names look-alikes, and we do not give identification tips. Only an expert, in person, can identify a wild mushroom, and cooking or drying does not destroy toxins (Penn State Extension).
Is dried orange birch bolete different from fresh?
Is it safe in pregnancy, breastfeeding or for children, or with medicines?
No safety data were found for these groups, and no medicine interaction was reported in the sources we read, which is not proof of safety. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before eating wild mushrooms regularly.
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Editorial transparency
- Written by
- AlternativeMed editorial team. Research compiled with AI assistance, then checked against PubMed records.
- Medical review
- None. This page has not been reviewed by a physician or pharmacist.
- First published
- 2026-10-25
- Last substantive update
- 2026-10-25
- How we research
- We read PubMed records for eleven papers: abstracts for all eleven, plus the full text of five (the genus review, the mercury study, the dried-mushroom study, the boiling study and the caesium study) through Europe PMC. We also read the Penn State Extension guidance page in full and checked both names in GBIF. Index Fungorum, EFSA, FDA and poison-centre statements were not read, and the genus review's own sources on poisoning were not opened. Certainty ratings are the compiler's own reading.
- How we rate evidence
- See "How we rate evidence" in the Evidence tab.
- Independence
- No product is promoted on this page. No affiliate links are shown. This page is information, not a recommendation to eat wild mushrooms.
Sources 14
Each source was opened and checked. Where we read only the abstract, it says so. The small numbers in the text point here.
- Budau R, Vicas SI, Bei MF, et al. The Genus Leccinum: Global Advances in Taxonomy, Ecology, Nutritional Value, and Environmental Significance.. Journal of Fungi. 2026. PMID 41590482. DOI 10.3390/jof12010070. (abstract and full text (Europe PMC, PMC12842815))
- Domagalska J, Rusin M, Rogala D, et al. Evaluation of Toxic Elements in Commercial Dried Mushrooms from the Polish Market: Exposure Assessment and Health Risk Characterization.. Molecules. 2026. PMID 42280168. DOI 10.3390/molecules31111865. (abstract and full text (Europe PMC, PMC13258499))
- Falandysz J, Kowalewska I, Nnorom IC, Drewnowska M. Mercury in Red Aspen Boletes (Leccinum aurantiacum) mushrooms and the soils.. Journal of Environmental Science and Health. Part A. 2012. PMID 22702831. DOI 10.1080/10934529.2012.687277. (abstract)
- Falandysz J, Meloni D, Fernandes AR, et al. Effect of drying, blanching, pickling and maceration on the fate of 40K, total K and 137Cs in bolete mushrooms and dietary intake.. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International. 2022. PMID 34338984. DOI 10.1007/s11356-021-15523-9. (abstract and full text (Europe PMC, PMC8724179))
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Leccinum versipelle. api.gbif.org. 2026. (database record)
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Leccinum aurantiacum. api.gbif.org. 2026. (database record)
- Krasinska G, Falandysz J. Mercury in Orange Birch Bolete Leccinum versipelle and soil substratum: bioconcentration by mushroom and probable dietary intake by consumers.. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International. 2016. PMID 26347421. DOI 10.1007/s11356-015-5331-8. (abstract and full text (Europe PMC, PMC4712221))
- Krejsa J, Sima J, Kobera M, Seda M. Detrimental and essential elements in fruiting bodies of mushrooms with ecological relationship to birch (Betula sp.) collected in the Bohemian Forest, the Czech Republic.. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International. 2021. PMID 34268685. DOI 10.1007/s11356-021-13762-4. (abstract)
- Penn State Extension. Penn State Extension: Preparing and Preserving Mushrooms. extension.psu.edu. 2024. (full text)
- Pietrzak-Fiecko R, Galgowska M, Falandysz J. Impact of Mushrooms' Vegetative Places and Morphological Parts of a Fruiting Body on the Fatty Acids Profile of Wild Leccinum aurantiacum and Leccinum versipelle.. Chemistry & Biodiversity. 2020. PMID 32125078. DOI 10.1002/cbdv.202000032. (abstract)
- Strumińska-Parulska DI, Szymańska K, Krasińska G, Skwarzec B. Determination of 210Po and 210Pb in red-capped scaber (Leccinum aurantiacum): bioconcentration and possible related dose assessment.. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International. 2016. PMID 27557963. DOI 10.1007/s11356-016-7473-8. (abstract)
- Szymanska K, Falandysz J, Skwarzec B, Strumińska-Parulska D. 210Po and 210Pb in forest mushrooms of genus Leccinum and topsoil from northern Poland and its contribution to the radiation dose.. Chemosphere. 2018. PMID 30216813. DOI 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.09.022. (abstract)
- Szymanska K, Strumińska-Parulska D, Falandysz J. Uranium (234U, 238U) and thorium (230Th, 232Th) in mushrooms of genus Leccinum and Leccinellum and the potential effective ionizing radiation dose assessment for human.. Chemosphere. 2020. PMID 32088620. DOI 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126242. (abstract)
- Zhang F, Zhao C, Huang X, Guo Y. Assessing the suitability of boiling in the boletus species: a multimodal analysis of texture, flavor, and volatile profiles.. Food Chemistry: X. 2025. PMID 41140609. DOI 10.1016/j.fochx.2025.103090. (abstract and full text (Europe PMC, PMC12547832))
