Mushrooms · Wild culinary mushroom
White Chicken of the Woods
Laetiporus cincinnatus · also called Pale chicken of the woods, white-pored chicken of the woods, chicken mushroom
White chicken of the woods is a pale shelf fungus that grows on trees and is eaten cooked as a wild food. Some people get stomach upset or swollen lips, and a 2010 report lists a severe allergic-type reaction after a few bites. We found no health study of this species, so no health benefit can be claimed. Never eat any wild mushroom unless a trained expert has identified it in person.
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 White Chicken of the Woods
White chicken of the woods is a wild shelf fungus eaten cooked. A 2010 report lists one severe allergic-type reaction under this species, and a state field guide says some people get stomach upset or swollen lips. We found no health study of this species; the research that exists is DNA classification. Ask a doctor or pharmacist if you have an illness or take medicines.
What it is
White chicken of the woods is a wood-rotting fungus of the genus Laetiporus that grows on hardwood trees and is eaten when young and cooked. Its scientific name is Laetiporus cincinnatus. The Missouri field guide also calls it pale chicken of the woods.
Its name has a tangled history. A University of Florida fact sheet says L. sulphureus was once used for any bright orange bracket on wood until DNA and mating tests separated five North American species, including L. cincinnatus. A 2008 DNA study found L. cincinnatus in its own group, and a 2011 study found that DNA copies from L. cincinnatus cultures varied enough to mimic new species. The main GBIF list files the name as a synonym of L. sulphureus, while other GBIF lists accept it. So an older paper or label that says sulphureus may or may not mean this fungus. The yellow-pored species has its own page, chicken of the woods.
Traditional and current uses
We found no source describing a traditional medicinal use of this species. Today it is a wild food that the Missouri guide says can stand in for chicken in casseroles and similar dishes. Folk medicine uses reported for chicken of the woods in Europe concern the sulphur shelf. Traditional use is not proof that anything works or is safe.
What the research shows
A PubMed search for Laetiporus cincinnatus returned 2 records on 2026-10-25, both DNA classification papers. We found no lab, animal or human study of any health effect of this species and no nutrient analysis.
The health findings people quote belong to the yellow-pored sulphur shelf: one uncontrolled Crohn disease report (24 people, a mushroom and essential oil mixture, flares 5.6% versus 75.0% of the time, no placebo) and mouse and lab work. They should not be assumed to apply here.
Cooked food, extracts and powders are different
Only the cooked fruiting body, usually wild-picked, has a food history. We found no extract, powder or supplement of this species and no quality or pollutant testing. Results from other species or from extracts cannot be carried over.
Legal and regulatory status
No LiverTox or LactMed entry was found, and no statement on this species from EMA, FDA, NCCIH or Memorial Sloan Kettering was found. The Missouri Department of Conservation lists it as edible in its field guide, which is advice, not a regulation. Rules on picking and selling wild mushrooms differ by place and change.
At a glance
Traditional uses history, not proof
- We found no traditional medicinal use of this particular species.
- Eaten cooked as a wild food, and described as a choice edible by the Missouri Department of Conservation.
- Central European folk medicine used the related sulphur shelf (a different species) for several complaints (Bensaada 2026).
Studied for research
- Food use (cooked wild mushroom), insufficient
- Bowel inflammation (sulphur-shelf findings only, not this species), insufficient
- Cancer-cell and antioxidant claims (sulphur-shelf lab work only), insufficient
Main compounds
- No chemistry paper for this species was found
Common forms
- Fresh young fruiting body, cooked (the food)
- No extract, powder or supplement of this species was found
Research links: Missouri Department of Conservation field guide · NAMA Toxicology Committee Report 2010 (PDF) · University of Florida fact sheet PP358 · DNA study of North American Laetiporus (abstract) · DNA barcode variation in Laetiporus (abstract) · Research Library · Genes & Biomarkers Library
What it is and its history
- Accepted scientific name
- Laetiporus cincinnatus (Morgan) Burds., Banik & T.J.Volk
- Naming authority
- (Morgan) Burds., Banik & T.J.Volk; the name is registered in Index Fungorum with a publication year of 1998
- Synonyms
- GBIF's main list files L. cincinnatus as a synonym of Laetiporus sulphureus (Bull.) Murrill, but two other GBIF checklist records accept it as a species.
- Common names
- White chicken of the woods (English); Pale chicken of the woods (English); White-pored chicken of the woods (English); Chicken mushroom (English)
- Family or group
- Laetiporaceae (a fungus family, not a plant)
- Classification
- Fungi > Basidiomycota > Agaricomycetes > Polyporales > Laetiporaceae (GBIF Backbone); the Missouri guide lists Polyporaceae > Laetiporus > Laetiporus cincinnatus
- Native range
- Described in North American sources (Missouri guide, Florida fact sheet).
- Habitat
- A wood-rotting fungus on dead or dying hardwood trees, often oaks, per the Missouri field guide.
- What it looks like
- Fruiting body: Not described here by design.
- Cultivation
- Not covered in the sources read.
- Harvest and processing
- Not covered. Sources advise cooking it well.
- Sustainability and conservation
- Not checked.
Traditional use and history history, not clinical proof
| Tradition or era | Documented use | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wild food | Eaten cooked in North America and used like chicken in casseroles and similar dishes, per the Missouri Department of Conservation. | s-mdc-pale |
| Naming history | The University of Florida fact sheet says the name L. sulphureus was once used for any bright orange bracket on wood, until molecular and mating tests separated five North American species including L. cincinnatus. DNA work by Lindner and Banik in 2008 resolved a clade containing L. cincinnatus. | s-edis-pp358 |
| Traditional medicine | No traditional medicinal use of this species was found. Central European folk medicine used the sulphur shelf, not necessarily this species. | s-bensaada-2026 |
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.
Absorption, metabolism and elimination
- Absorption
- Not found in the sources read.
- Distribution
- Not found in the sources read.
- Metabolism
- Not found in the sources read.
- Elimination
- Not found in the sources read.
- Bioavailability
- Not established.
Isolated compounds versus whole extracts
No extract or isolated compound of this species has been studied. Results on the sulphur shelf (extracts, mixtures with essential oils) cannot be carried across to the cooked white chicken of the woods.
Nutritional composition
No measured nutrient values for this species were found. Nothing here is a nutrient recommendation.
3 not enough evidence
What was looked at
The 3 benefits and uses checked for White Chicken of the Woods, each with how strong the evidence is. Tap one to open it.
What is White Chicken of the Woods good for?
The uses people ask about and how strong the evidence is for each. For this species there is no health study at all, so none is shown as a benefit. 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.
Food use (a cooked wild mushroom)
Not enough evidenceWhite chicken of the woods is eaten cooked. A state field guide calls it a choice edible with a chicken-like texture, and a university fact sheet says species in this group are tasty when thoroughly cooked. We found no nutrient analysis and no health study of this species, so no health benefit can be claimed.
3 studiesFresh young fruiting body, cooked. This page gives no amounts.
Studies, doses and limits
What the trials found
No human study of health effects, nutrition or absorption was found. The only human information is field-guide description and a few reaction reports (see the Safety tab).
Results
Described as a choice edible by the Missouri Department of Conservation; the University of Florida fact sheet says species in the group have a pleasant, chicken-like flavour when thoroughly cooked. No measured protein, fibre or vitamin values were found for this species.
Why this rating
Descriptions of taste and cooking are not health evidence, and nothing about nutrition or health was measured for this species.
Form and dose studied
Fresh young fruiting body, cooked. This page gives no amounts.
Limits
Field guides describe use; they do not measure benefit. Nothing was found on dried, frozen, powdered or extract forms of this species.
Why researchers looked
It is a wild food, not a supplement. The sources describe it as food and give cautions.
Traditional use
We found no source describing a traditional medicinal use of this particular species.
Proposed mechanism None
Not studied for this species.
A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.
Some people get stomach upset or swollen lips, and one allergic-type reaction is listed under this species in a 2010 report. See the Safety tab.
Bowel inflammation (colitis and Crohn disease): sulphur-shelf findings only
Not enough evidenceStudies on bowel inflammation used Laetiporus sulphureus (the yellow-pored sulphur shelf), not this species. One uncontrolled French report mixed that mushroom with three essential oils in 24 people with Crohn disease, and a mouse study tested a sulphur-shelf extract. Nothing was found for white chicken of the woods.
4 studiesSulphur-shelf mixtures and extracts in research only. Not a food or p…
Studies, doses and limits
Results
Sulphur-shelf results only: Crohn flare time 5.6% versus 75.0% (uncontrolled); mouse disease activity index about 60% lower with an extract (abstract).
Why this rating
Different species, a mixture with essential oils, no random control and a mouse extract study. None of it tested white chicken of the woods.
Form and dose studied
Sulphur-shelf mixtures and extracts in research only. Not a food or product recommendation.
Who was studied
Other species: 24 adults with Crohn disease; mice
Limits
The two Laetiporus species are different, and an older paper using the name sulphureus may have meant something else. A correction notice exists for the mouse paper (not read).
Why researchers looked
Sulphur-shelf polysaccharides calm inflammation in mice. People searching for the white form often meet these claims, so they are shown here with a clear label.
Traditional use
No traditional medicinal use of this species was found.
Proposed mechanism Animal research
In mice with colitis, a polysaccharide extract of L. sulphureus lowered inflammatory signals and raised gut-barrier proteins (Ali 2026 abstract). Not tested for L. cincinnatus.
A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.
Never stop bowel disease medicines because of a mushroom. See the Safety tab.
Cancer-cell and antioxidant claims: sulphur-shelf lab work only
Not enough evidenceA 2026 review of Laetiporus sulphureus says its extracts show antioxidant, germ-killing and cancer-cell effects in the lab. That review is about a different species, and no lab, animal or human study of white chicken of the woods was found.
2 studiesLab extracts. No product.
Studies, doses and limits
Results
The review states these effects rest on lab work and lists clinical validation, animal work and long-term safety as gaps.
Why this rating
Lab results from a different species. They do not show that eating this mushroom helps with cancer or anything else.
Form and dose studied
Lab extracts. No product.
Limits
Review-level reading only. Original papers were not re-read for this page.
Why researchers looked
Lab screens of wood-rotting fungi look for active compounds, and the sulphur shelf has been screened often.
Traditional use
Central European folk medicine used the sulphur shelf for several complaints (Bensaada 2026). No such use was found for this species.
Proposed mechanism Laboratory research
Test-tube activity of extracts and compounds from L. sulphureus, as summarised in the review. Not tested for L. cincinnatus.
A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.
Do not use a mushroom in place of medical treatment.
Connections to the rest of health
How White Chicken of the Woods 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
A. Wellness goals
| Connected to | Kind of connection | Evidence status | Context | Studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gut Health | Preliminary mechanism | Not enough evidence | Bowel inflammation (colitis and Crohn disease): sulphur-shelf findings only: Studies on bowel inflammation used Laetiporus sulphureus (the yellow-pored sulphur shelf), not this species. One uncontrolled French report mixed that mushroom with three essential oils in 24 people with Crohn disease, and a mouse study tested a sulphur-shelf extract. Nothing was found for white chicken of the woods. | 6 1 4 3 |
B. Body systems
| Connected to | Kind of connection | Evidence status | Context | Studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digestive system | Adverse effect or risk | Low certainty | Stomach upset and swollen lips in some people; frequency unknown. Preparation or compound: Cooked young fruiting body; worse with raw |
12 7 |
| Immune system | Adverse effect or risk | Very low certainty | One allergic-type reaction listed under this species in a 2010 report. Preparation or compound: Cooked fruiting body |
5 |
| Digestive System | Biological association | Not enough evidence | Studied for: Food use (a cooked wild mushroom) Studied for: Bowel inflammation (colitis and Crohn disease): sulphur-shelf findings only | 12 3 13 6 1 4 |
| Immune System | Biological association | Not enough evidence | Studied for: Cancer-cell and antioxidant claims: sulphur-shelf lab work only | 4 13 |
E. Health conditions
| Connected to | Kind of connection | Evidence status | Context | Studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food allergy or food reaction | Adverse effect or risk | Very low certainty | Allergy to chicken of the woods is recognised in an extension fact sheet; a single case report. Preparation or compound: Cooked fruiting body |
5 3 |
| Children | Adverse effect or risk | Very low certainty | One child had unsteady walking and hallucinations. Preparation or compound: Raw fruiting body (sulphur shelf) |
2 |
| Pregnancy and breastfeeding | Contraindication | Not enough evidence | No safety data found. Preparation or compound: All forms |
14 |
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 3 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 White Chicken of the Woods. 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 searched PubMed for the species name (2 DNA classification papers) and read the abstracts of those two and of the sulphur-shelf papers cited; read the 2010 NAMA toxicology report text, the Missouri Department of Conservation field guide, the University of Florida fact sheet and the MykoWeb page; read the open-access 2026 review safety section; and checked the name in GBIF and Index Fungorum and the NCBI Bookshelf for LiverTox and LactMed. The 1988 child case report has no abstract in PubMed. Numbers come from abstracts or the reports. Certainty ratings are the compiler's own reading.
Study library: every study we checked 14
| Study | Design | People | Product, dose, length | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ali 2026 Laetiporus sulphureus polysaccharides mitigate colitis by reshaping the gut microbiota and regulating immune responses. Frontiers in Pharmacology · PMID 42064799 · DOI |
Animal research mouse |
BALB/c mice with colitis caused by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) | Polysaccharide extract from Laetiporus sulphureus (LSP) fruiting body extract Not shown here · vs DSS colitis mice without extract |
LSP lowered the disease activity index by about 60% and restored colon length by about 1.5-fold, raised gut-barrier proteins, lowered TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-1 beta, and shifted gut bacteria in mice. Disease activity index about 60% lower in mice (Not given in the abstract) Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Disease activity, colon length, gut-barrier proteins, cytokines and gut bacteria Limitations: Mice, not people. A polysaccharide extract, not the cooked mushroom. The number of mice is not given in the abstract. A correction notice for this paper was published (PMID 42494536); its content was not read. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract Read: abstract |
| Appleton 1988 Laetiporus sulphureus causing visual hallucinations and ataxia in a child. CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) · PMID 3383041 |
Case report |
1 One child |
Raw Laetiporus sulphureus mushroom (as described by later reviews) fruiting body Not shown here |
PubMed holds the title and citation only, with no abstract, so the details were NOT read. The title states hallucinations and ataxia in a child. A 2026 review says the child ate a small amount of the raw mushroom. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Visual hallucinations and unsteady walking (ataxia) after eating the mushroom (from the title) Limitations: Single case; details not read; relies on how later reviews describe it. Funding and conflicts: Not stated (no abstract in PubMed) Read: citation only (no abstract in PubMed) |
| Benitez 2024 Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus species complex), PP358 UF/IFAS Extension (University of Florida) · Source |
Authoritative guidance authoritative |
A university extension fact sheet on the Laetiporus sulphureus species complex | Laetiporus species complex including L. cincinnatus, eaten cooked fruiting body Not shown here |
Says molecular and mating studies distinguish five North American species in the complex, including L. cincinnatus, and that the name L. sulphureus was once used for any bright orange bracket on wood. Says L. cincinnatus is reported in Florida but only L. gilbertsonii has been DNA-confirmed there, so more study is needed. On edibility: raw or undercooked Laetiporus has been reported to cause gastrointestinal problems, at least some people are allergic to "chicken of the woods", and these fungi should be eaten with caution; the public should never eat wild mushrooms they cannot positively identify as edible. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Taxonomy, edibility and caution Limitations: An extension fact sheet written for a species complex, not for L. cincinnatus alone. Its safety statements are general and have no counts. Year taken from the earlier file note; the page text itself was read 2026-10-25. Funding and conflicts: University extension, no commercial funding Read: full page text (read 2026-10-25) |
| Bensaada 2026 Laetiporus sulphureus: ethnopharmacological uses, bioactive compounds, pharmacological activities, and therapeutic potential Studies in Fungi · Source · DOI |
Narrative review review |
Published work on Laetiporus sulphureus | Laetiporus sulphureus extracts and compounds (mostly lab work) fruiting body Not shown here |
Says L. sulphureus has been used in traditional medicine for respiratory illness, stomach disorders, rheumatism, cancer and metabolic disease. Says activity is shown for antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and anticancer effects, and that this rests on lab work. Safety section: adverse effects reported include stomach problems, allergic reactions, vomiting and fever; the mushroom should be young and well heat-treated (blanched and cooked); specimens from conifers, especially yew, should be avoided because they might carry host-tree toxins; a child had unsteady walking and visual hallucinations after a small amount of raw mushroom in the late 1980s. It says systematic toxicology, long-term safety, animal and clinical data are research gaps. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Traditional use, compounds, lab activity and safety Limitations: A narrative review that cites secondary sources for the safety advice. The yew/conifer toxin claim is advice from the review and was not traced to a primary study here. Funding and conflicts: Open-access review; funding not read Read: full text (open access; abstract, safety section and conclusions read) |
| Beug 2010 NAMA Toxicology Committee Report for 2010: North American Mushroom Poisonings North American Mycological Association · Source |
Authoritative guidance |
93 76 mushroom poisoning incidents involving 93 people reported to NAMA in 2010 |
Laetiporus cincinnatus (and L. sulphureus, L. conifericola in the text), eaten as food fruiting body Not shown here |
The text says that for every edible mushroom some people are sensitive and get an upset stomach, that severe anaphylactic shock is rare, that one case that year involving Laetiporus sulphureus was very severe, and that several years earlier a death from shock followed Laetiporus conifericola. Table V ("Reactions to Cooked Normally Edible Species") lists one Laetiporus cincinnatus case dated 8/1/10 in New Jersey: a woman (adult), onset recorded as "Rapid", who cooked tender young mushroom and after a few bites had a puffed red face, fast pulse and trouble breathing (for days), treated with steroids and Benadryl; the rest of the family was unaffected. The table legend says names with no symbol mean a "reliable ID from photo, etc." It also lists a California woman, 53, with vomiting and nausea 1.5 hours after a second meal of young Laetiporus sulphureus. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Reported reactions after eating Laetiporus Limitations: Voluntary reports, not rates. The text names L. sulphureus for the very severe case while the table lists the allergic-type case under L. cincinnatus, so which species was behind the severe reaction is unclear. The identification in the table rests on a photo or similar, as the legend says; we did not confirm it. Funding and conflicts: Independent mycological society committee Read: full text (PDF text extracted and read 2026-10-25) |
| Donatini 2019 Medicinal Sulphur Polypore Mushroom Laetiporus sulphureus (Agaricomycetes) Plus Tiny Amounts of Essential Oils Decrease the Activity of Crohn Disease. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms · PMID 31002610 · DOI |
Case series |
24 24 patients with Crohn disease followed for at least 24 months (median 32 months) |
A mixture of Laetiporus sulphureus with oregano, cinnamon and clove essential oils (called LOCS), taken with other treatment unclear from the abstract Not shown here 24 to 54 months follow-up · vs Patients in the same group who did not follow the treatment |
Of 24 patients, 19 followed the treatment and 5 did not. Compliant patients had flares for 5.6% of the follow-up period; non-compliant patients for 75.0% (P < 10-6). The authors concluded the mixture lowers Crohn disease activity and called for more research. Flare time 5.6% (took the mixture) versus 75.0% (did not) Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Crohn Disease Activity Index (CDAI) above 220 (flare) over time Limitations: Not a randomised trial. Patients who chose to take the mixture were compared with those who did not, with no placebo. The product was a mixture with three essential oils, so the mushroom alone cannot be credited. The abstract does not report side effects or other treatments. The authors work in a French company for clinical research and information; no funding statement in the abstract. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract Read: abstract |
| Duffy 2008 Toxic Fungi of Western North America (MykoWeb), section on mushrooms causing gastrointestinal upset MykoWeb · Source |
Authoritative guidance |
Poisoning reports from North American toxicology committees | Laetiporus sulphureus, L. gilbertsonii and L. conifericola, eaten as food fruiting body Not shown here |
Says the 1975 San Francisco Toxicology Committee survey found that 7 of 158 fungal-poisoning reports were almost identical reactions to Laetiporus: nausea, often vomiting, within 5 to 45 minutes, lasting a few minutes to 2.5 hours. Says more cases followed, especially with raw or nearly raw specimens. Says the true L. sulphureus is not found on the Pacific coast; the one growing on eucalyptus and probably oaks is L. gilbertsonii and the one on conifers is L. conifericola. Says both are edible and can cause occasional idiosyncratic reactions. Says an early idea that eucalyptus-grown specimens caused trouble more often was later questioned, but it remains possible that L. gilbertsonii causes symptoms more often. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Reported reactions after eating Laetiporus Limitations: Expert web summary of committee reports. Counts are not rates; the number of people who ate it is unknown. Funding and conflicts: Independent mycology website Read: full page text (read 2026-10-25) |
| GBIF Secretariat 2026 GBIF Backbone Taxonomy and other GBIF checklists: Laetiporus cincinnatus GBIF · Source |
Database record database |
Species name records | Name lookup fruiting body Not shown here |
The GBIF Backbone Taxonomy lists Laetiporus cincinnatus (Morgan) Burds., Banik & T.J.Volk (key 2542235) as a SYNONYM of Laetiporus sulphureus (Bull.) Murrill (key 9072021). Two other GBIF checklist records (keys 183831440 and 103777193) list Laetiporus cincinnatus as ACCEPTED. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Whether the name is accepted Limitations: A database record shows how one checklist files a name, not what mycologists conclude. The backbone is a compiled list. Funding and conflicts: Not applicable Read: API response read 2026-10-25 |
| Index Fungorum Partnership 2026 Index Fungorum: Laetiporus cincinnatus Index Fungorum · Source |
Database record database |
Name register | Name lookup fruiting body Not shown here |
Index Fungorum has a record for Laetiporus cincinnatus (Morgan) Burds., Banik & T.J. Volk, with a publication year of 1998 and a linked basionym record. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Name and authority Limitations: A name register records names and where they were published. It does not say whether a name is the accepted one. Funding and conflicts: Not applicable Read: web-service response read 2026-10-25 |
| Lindner 2008 Molecular phylogeny of Laetiporus and other brown rot polypore genera in North America. Mycologia · PMID 18751549 · DOI |
Lab analysis in-vitro |
North American Laetiporus and related brown-rot fungi (DNA sequences) | DNA sequence comparison (no mushroom was eaten or tested) fruiting body Not shown here |
A combined DNA analysis resolved five major clades within the core Laetiporus group, one of which contains L. cincinnatus (the "Cincinnatus clade"). The other clades are a conifer-inhabiting group, two groups of L. sulphureus s.s. (yellow-pored and white-pored isolates), and a group with L. gilbertsonii. The authors say relationships among these groups remain poorly resolved. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: How the North American Laetiporus species group together Limitations: DNA study only. It says which fungi are related, not whether any is safe to eat. Funding and conflicts: US Forest Service authors; funding not read Read: abstract |
| Lindner 2011 Intragenomic variation in the ITS rDNA region obscures phylogenetic relationships and inflates estimates of operational taxonomic units in genus Laetiporus. Mycologia · PMID 21289107 · DOI |
Lab analysis in-vitro |
21 Cultures of six Laetiporus species, 21 cultures, 1399 DNA sequences |
DNA sequence comparison (no mushroom was eaten or tested) fruiting body Not shown here |
Cloned DNA from L. cincinnatus cultures varied by 5% or more among copies within one culture, and the cloned sequences fell into more than one species clade and into new clades that, analysed alone, would likely look like undescribed species. The authors say this can be a problem for DNA barcoding. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Variation in a DNA barcode region Limitations: Culture and DNA work. It shows that naming this fungus from one DNA barcode can be unreliable. It says nothing about safety. Funding and conflicts: US Forest Service authors; funding not read Read: abstract |
| Missouri Department of Conservation 2026 Pale Chicken of the Woods (Field Guide) Missouri Department of Conservation · Source |
Authoritative guidance authoritative |
A state wildlife agency field-guide entry for Laetiporus cincinnatus | Laetiporus cincinnatus, eaten cooked fruiting body Not shown here |
Lists Laetiporus cincinnatus (family Polyporaceae in this entry) as a "choice edible" that some people think is more tender than the sulphur-coloured species, usable like chicken in casseroles. Says both species are safe and delicious but some people get a bit of stomach upset or swollen lips after eating them, and advises care the first time, being sure of the identification, and cooking it well. Describes it as a wood-rotting fungus on dead or dying hardwood trees, often oaks. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Edibility, ecology and reactions Limitations: A field guide, not a study. It gives no rates and no clinical detail, and its safety wording is general advice. It was read in full (page text). Funding and conflicts: State agency, no commercial funding Read: full page text (read 2026-10-25) |
| NCBI 2026 PubMed search: Laetiporus cincinnatus PubMed · Source |
Database record database |
Search of the PubMed index | Search term "Laetiporus cincinnatus" fruiting body Not shown here |
The search returned 2 records on 2026-10-25, both DNA-classification papers (Lindner and Banik 2008 and 2011). A wider search for Laetiporus with allergy, anaphylaxis, poisoning or toxicity returned 23 records; the ones whose titles were reviewed concern L. sulphureus, other uses or unrelated topics, and the child case report (1988) is listed under L. sulphureus. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Papers that name this species Limitations: A search count shows only what PubMed indexes under that name. Mushrooms called L. sulphureus in older papers may include this species, because the names were mixed up for many years. Funding and conflicts: Not applicable Read: search count and record titles (2026-10-25) |
| NCBI 2026 NCBI Bookshelf search for Laetiporus (including LiverTox and LactMed) NCBI Bookshelf · Source |
Database record database |
Search of the Bookshelf index | Search term "Laetiporus" fruiting body Not shown here |
The search for "Laetiporus" returned one record, a chapter on R-type lectins in Essentials of Glycobiology. No LiverTox or LactMed entry was found for Laetiporus or chicken of the woods. Methods, limits and fundingOutcomes: Any drug or herb monograph for this fungus Limitations: A search result shows only that no entry was found. Funding and conflicts: Not applicable Read: search results read 2026-10-25 |
What we do not know yet
- No lab, animal or human study of any health effect of this species; PubMed holds only two DNA classification papers on it.
- How often stomach upset and allergy happen with this species, and why, are not known; the allergy evidence is one voluntary report.
- Most safety reports concern the sulphur shelf or the whole genus; the yew and conifer warning is not traced to a primary study.
- No nutrient, compound or pollutant analysis of this species was found.
- EMA, FDA, NCCIH and Memorial Sloan Kettering statements were not found.
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 6
- One allergic-type reaction is listed under this species. A 2010 North American Mycological Association report lists a woman in New Jersey who cooked tender young Laetiporus cincinnatus and, after a few bites, had a puffed red face, fast pulse and trouble breathing for days. She was treated with steroids and an antihistamine (Benadryl). The rest of the family was unaffected. The report's text names a different species, L. sulphureus, for the very severe case that year, so which species was behind the worst reaction is unclear. It is a single voluntary report, not a rate. Anyone who has had a reaction should not eat it again. Case report 5
- Stomach upset and swollen lips happen in some people. The Missouri Department of Conservation says some people get a bit of stomach upset or swollen lips after eating this mushroom and the sulphur-coloured species, and advises care the first time. For the genus, a 1975 survey found 7 of 158 fungal-poisoning reports were near-identical reactions to Laetiporus: nausea and often vomiting 5 to 45 minutes after eating, lasting from a few minutes to about 2.5 hours. How often it happens is not known, and the cause is not known. Authoritative guidance 12 7
- Raw or undercooked mushroom is a risk. A University of Florida fact sheet says raw or undercooked Laetiporus has been reported to cause stomach problems. MykoWeb says more cases followed raw or nearly raw specimens. A child had unsteady walking and visual hallucinations after a small amount of raw L. sulphureus in a 1988 case report. A 2026 review advises young, well heat-treated mushroom. Most of this evidence is about the sulphur shelf or the whole genus, not this species alone. Case report 3 7 2 4
- Allergy to chicken of the woods is recognised. The University of Florida fact sheet says at least some people are allergic to chicken of the woods and that these fungi should be eaten with caution. The 2010 report adds that, for every edible mushroom, some people are sensitive. Authoritative guidance 3 5
- The tree it grew on may matter. A 2026 review of the sulphur shelf advises avoiding specimens from conifers, especially yew, because they might carry toxins from the host tree. We could not trace that claim to a primary study, and it was written for L. sulphureus. Authoritative guidance 4
- Names are mixed up, so a label may not tell you the species. Several similar-looking Laetiporus species share the common name chicken of the woods, and an extension fact sheet says the name sulphureus was long used for any bright orange bracket on wood. This page does not help anyone identify mushrooms. Do not eat any wild mushroom unless a trained local expert has identified it in person. General advice 3 10 11
Side effects 4
| Effect | How often | Severity and recovery | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allergic-type reaction (puffed red face, fast pulse, trouble breathing) The same report mentions a very severe reaction attributed to L. sulphureus and an earlier death from shock after L. conifericola. | Rare; one report listed under this species | can be severe Trouble breathing lasted for days in the one case and was treated with steroids and an antihistamine | Case report 5 |
| Nausea and vomiting Onset 5 to 45 minutes in the 1975 survey; a 2010 case of the sulphur shelf started at 1.5 hours. | Not established. 7 of 158 reports in a 1975 survey of the genus. | mild to moderate Usually passed within hours in the reports read | Case report 7 12 |
| Swollen lips and mild stomach upset Stated for this species and the sulphur-coloured species together. | Some people (no count given) | mild Not described | Authoritative guidance 12 |
| Unsteady walking and visual hallucinations After a small amount of raw L. sulphureus. The PubMed record has no abstract, so details were not read. | One child described (sulphur shelf, raw) | serious Not described in the material read | Case report 2 4 |
Liver
No report of liver injury from this species or from chicken of the woods was found in the sources read, and no LiverTox entry was found. That means nothing was found, not that it is proven safe for the liver. 14 4
How often. Not known.
Monitoring. No monitoring advice exists. Anyone with liver disease should ask a doctor before eating wild mushrooms.
This is a safety connection. It is not evidence that White Chicken of the Woods supports liver health.
Medicines and supplements 3
| With | Why it matters | Importance | Evidence | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prescription and over-the-counter medicines prescription | No interaction has been reported or studied for this species. | Unknown | Authoritative guidance Not enough evidence 4 14 | If you take medicines for a long-term illness, ask a doctor or pharmacist before eating wild mushrooms or taking any extract. |
| Medicines for Crohn disease or other bowel disease prescription | Not studied for this species. The one Crohn report used a different species mixed with essential oils and had no random control. | Unknown. The report does not show a mushroom can replace treatment. | Case series Very low certainty 6 | Do not stop or change bowel disease medicines because of a mushroom. Talk to your gastroenterologist first. |
| Other mushrooms or foods you are allergic to food | Cross-reaction between mushroom species has not been studied for this fungus. The 2010 report notes that for every edible mushroom some people are sensitive. | Unknown | Authoritative guidance Not enough evidence 5 3 | If you have had a food or mushroom allergy, ask an allergy doctor before trying it. |
Who should check first 6
| Situation | Advice | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Any past reaction to chicken of the woods | Do not eat it again. A severe allergic-type reaction is listed under this species. | Case report 5 |
| Known mushroom or food allergy | Ask an allergy doctor first. Reactions were reported even after cooking. | Authoritative guidance 5 3 |
| Children | No safety study exists in children. One child had unsteady walking and hallucinations after a small amount of raw sulphur shelf. | Case report 2 |
| Pregnancy and breastfeeding | No safety data were found and no LactMed entry exists. Ask a clinician rather than assume it is safe. | Authoritative guidance 14 |
| Crohn disease or other bowel disease | A mushroom is not a replacement for treatment. Raw or undercooked mushroom is a documented risk. | Case series 6 3 |
| Wild mushroom not identified in person by a trained expert | Do not eat it. This page does not teach identification. | General advice 3 |
Overdose, product quality and regulators
Summary. Widely eaten as a cooked wild food, but reports exist of stomach upset, swollen lips and rare allergic-type reactions. No toxicology study of this species was found.
Animal. No animal study of this species was found.
High dose or long term signals. Long-term safety is not known. The 2026 review of the sulphur shelf lists long-term safety and toxicology as gaps.
Overdose response. No overdose description exists. For repeated vomiting, breathing trouble or confusion, get medical help.
Genotoxicity. Not read.
Toxic or hazardous parts. Fungus, not a plant. Raw fruiting body has been linked to harm in a child (sulphur shelf).
Wild-picked mushrooms are not covered by food-testing rules, and no commercial product of this species was found in the sources read.
Which species is it. DNA studies split the North American chicken-of-the-woods group into several species, and one study found that DNA copies from L. cincinnatus cultures could fall into more than one species group. GBIF's main list files the name L. cincinnatus as a synonym of L. sulphureus, while other GBIF checklists accept it. The common name does not tell you which species you have. 10 11 8 3
Metals and pollutants. No measurement of metals or pollutants in this species was found. Wild mushrooms can take up substances from soil and wood, depending on the site. 13
Extracts and powders. No extract, powder or supplement of this species was found, and no quality test. 13
| Body | Action | Date |
|---|---|---|
| NCBI Bookshelf (LiverTox and LactMed) (United States) | A search for Laetiporus found no LiverTox or LactMed entry. source | 2026-10-25 |
| Missouri Department of Conservation (United States (Missouri)) | Field guide lists the species as edible, a choice edible, and says some people get stomach upset or swollen lips. source | 2026-10-25 |
When to get medical help
- Swelling of the face, lips or tongue, trouble breathing, fast pulse or fainting after eating it: call emergency services at once.
- Repeated vomiting, severe belly pain or signs of dehydration.
- Confusion, unsteady walking or seeing things that are not there, especially in a child.
- If anyone is ill after a wild mushroom meal, get medical advice or call your local poison centre, and tell the clinicians exactly what was eaten and whether it was cooked.
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 white chicken of the woods?
Is white chicken of the woods safe to eat?
Can it cause an allergic reaction?
Yes, in rare cases. A 2010 report lists a woman whose face puffed up and turned red, with a fast pulse and trouble breathing for days, after a few bites of cooked young Laetiporus cincinnatus; she was treated with steroids and an antihistamine. It is a single report, and the same report names a different species for its most severe case. Get emergency help for breathing trouble or swelling.
Why does it make some people feel sick?
Is it dangerous raw or undercooked?
Is it the same as chicken of the woods?
Does it have health benefits?
Does it fight cancer or inflammation?
Can it help with Crohn disease or colitis?
Does it interact with medicines?
Is it safe in pregnancy, breastfeeding or for children?
Are there supplements made from it?
We found none. The only form with a food history is the cooked wild fruiting body, and no quality or pollutant testing of this species was found.
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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 searched PubMed for the species name (2 DNA classification papers) and read the abstracts of those two and of the sulphur-shelf papers cited; read the 2010 NAMA toxicology report text, the Missouri Department of Conservation field guide, the University of Florida fact sheet and the MykoWeb page; read the open-access 2026 review safety section; and checked the name in GBIF and Index Fungorum and the NCBI Bookshelf for LiverTox and LactMed. The 1988 child case report has no abstract in PubMed. Numbers come from abstracts or the reports. 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 white chicken of the woods.
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.
- Ali S, Alioui Y, Khan I, et al. Laetiporus sulphureus polysaccharides mitigate colitis by reshaping the gut microbiota and regulating immune responses.. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2026. PMID 42064799. DOI 10.3389/fphar.2026.1705032. (abstract)
- Appleton RE, Jan JE, Kroeger PD. Laetiporus sulphureus causing visual hallucinations and ataxia in a child.. CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). 1988. PMID 3383041. (citation only (no abstract in PubMed))
- Benitez B, Paez CA, Smith ME, Smith JA. Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus species complex), PP358. UF/IFAS Extension (University of Florida). 2024. (full page text (read 2026-10-25))
- Bensaada H, Carmona-Hernandez JC. Laetiporus sulphureus: ethnopharmacological uses, bioactive compounds, pharmacological activities, and therapeutic potential. Studies in Fungi. 2026. DOI 10.48130/sif-0026-0023. (full text (open access; abstract, safety section and conclusions read))
- Beug MW. NAMA Toxicology Committee Report for 2010: North American Mushroom Poisonings. North American Mycological Association. 2010. (full text (PDF text extracted and read 2026-10-25))
- Donatini B, Le Blaye I. Medicinal Sulphur Polypore Mushroom Laetiporus sulphureus (Agaricomycetes) Plus Tiny Amounts of Essential Oils Decrease the Activity of Crohn Disease.. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms. 2019. PMID 31002610. DOI 10.1615/IntJMedMushrooms.2019030122. (abstract)
- Duffy TJ. Toxic Fungi of Western North America (MykoWeb), section on mushrooms causing gastrointestinal upset. MykoWeb. 2008. (full page text (read 2026-10-25))
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy and other GBIF checklists: Laetiporus cincinnatus. GBIF. 2026. (API response read 2026-10-25)
- Index Fungorum Partnership. Index Fungorum: Laetiporus cincinnatus. Index Fungorum. 2026. (web-service response read 2026-10-25)
- Lindner DL, Banik MT. Molecular phylogeny of Laetiporus and other brown rot polypore genera in North America.. Mycologia. 2008. PMID 18751549. DOI 10.3852/07-124r2. (abstract)
- Lindner DL, Banik MT. Intragenomic variation in the ITS rDNA region obscures phylogenetic relationships and inflates estimates of operational taxonomic units in genus Laetiporus.. Mycologia. 2011. PMID 21289107. DOI 10.3852/10-331. (abstract)
- Missouri Department of Conservation. Pale Chicken of the Woods (Field Guide). Missouri Department of Conservation. 2026. (full page text (read 2026-10-25))
- NCBI. PubMed search: Laetiporus cincinnatus. PubMed. 2026. (search count and record titles (2026-10-25))
- NCBI. NCBI Bookshelf search for Laetiporus (including LiverTox and LactMed). NCBI Bookshelf. 2026. (search results read 2026-10-25)
