Dried Morels Sold at B&M Linked to Death of 27-Year-Old in France

A 27-year-old woman in Montpellier, France, died on Nov. 3, one day after eating dried morel mushrooms sold at a B&M store, and French authorities have opened an investigation into the death.

Health officials were notified at the start of November about the fatality, which followed a severe case of poisoning potentially linked to dried morels purchased from the discount retailer. The product involved is the Champibon brand of mushrooms, sold in a 60-gram jar at B&M, carrying a date of Dec. 1, 2029.

The woman had no underlying health conditions, according to the notification. She developed gastrointestinal symptoms on Nov. 2, a few hours after consuming the mushrooms. After contacting her regional poison control and toxicovigilance center, she went to the nearest medical facility. She died the following day. Local media identified her as a 27-year-old Montpellier resident named Marie-Lou.

Authorities are investigating the potential connection between the consumption of the morels, the onset of symptoms and the death. Laboratory testing is underway.

What does the recall cover?

Affected retailers have initiated a withdrawal and recall of the implicated morel mushrooms. The scope is precise: Champibon-brand mushrooms in 60-gram jars sold at B&M, with a best-before date of Dec. 1, 2029.

Consumer guidance from authorities carries a warning that matters for foodservice operators handling dried mushrooms: the product may remain toxic even after cooking. Consumers who hold the product are advised not to eat it.

Anyone who experiences digestive issues — such as diarrhea or vomiting — in the hours after eating the morels should immediately contact a poison control center.

How big is France's mushroom poisoning problem?

The numbers show a persistent public health burden. Nearly 500 cases associated with the picking and eating of wild mushrooms were reported to French poison control centers in September 2026 alone, with more than 200 cases in October, according to the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES).

In 2025, poison control centers recorded 1,300 mushroom poisonings. One patient died and three people received liver transplants because of Amanita poisoning. Surveillance has run year-round since 2025, though the majority of cases still cluster in the mushroom picking season from July to December.

Earlier data shows the trend is not new. Analysis of 2024 data found that between July and December, 1,363 people with symptoms contacted a poison control center after eating mushrooms, and three died. In 2023, authorities recorded 1,482 cases.

Why do the poisonings happen?

ANSES identifies several causes. Most poisonings occur when an edible species is mistaken for a poisonous one, when mushrooms are stored incorrectly, when mushrooms in poor condition or insufficiently cooked are eaten, or when too many are consumed at once. The agency also flags a newer risk factor: smartphone identification apps that wrongly identify a picked mushroom as edible.

For restaurants sourcing dried or wild mushrooms, the case underlines that species verification and supplier traceability — not cooking alone — are the controls that determine safety.

Pending test results, the investigation will determine whether the B&M product itself was contaminated or whether the reaction, as local coverage suggested, was a rare response to properly handled morels.