ABSTRACT

Radiocaesium concentration in some kinds of edible mushrooms collected in October 1990 has been determined to evaluate the radiocaesium activity 5 years after Chernobyl accident. The highest activity was found in Xerocomus subtomentosus (1080,5 Bq/kg of fresh weight), then in Rozites caperata (768,5 Bq/kg) and Xerocomus badius (562,5 Bq/kg); the lowest - in Suillus luteus (52,0 Bq/kg) and Cantharellus cibarius (63,0 Bq/kg). Studies on the influence of cooking on radiocaesium activity revealed that parboiling and boiling of mushrooms led to high, even 85% losses of radiocaesium in the product. Samples of Xerocomus badius collected in various sites of North-East Poland in 1995 averaged to 195,4 ± 125,5 Bq/kg of fresh weight.