### Australian Woman on Trial Over Deadly Mushroom Meal

Erin Patterson, a 50-year-old Australian woman, is currently on trial, accused of causing the deaths of three relatives by serving them a beef wellington laced with toxic death cap mushrooms. The incident, which happened in July 2023 at her home in regional Victoria, also left another relative seriously ill. Patterson denies the allegations, claiming it was a tragic accident, while the prosecution insists the inclusion of the deadly mushrooms was intentional.

During her testimony, Patterson discussed the deteriorating relationship with her in-laws and the health concerns she was experiencing in the months leading up to the ill-fated meal. She narrated her foraging habits to the jury, emphasizing that she primarily collected field mushrooms and avoided picking unfamiliar types, including those with red tops and white dots. Between April and June, she gathered various mushrooms, including "slippery jacks" and "honey mushrooms," and asserted her confidence in identifying them correctly.

The court inquired about the origin of the mushrooms used in the controversial beef wellington. Patterson stated that most were purchased from a Woolworths supermarket in Leongatha, with some sourced from an Asian grocer in Melbourne. However, she could not recall the specific purchase from the Asian grocer, although she mentioned having bought different varieties like shiitake, porcini, and enoki from such shops before. She also said that these purchases sometimes included mixed wild mushrooms.

The trial also explored Patterson's reasons for buying a food dehydrator in April 2023. Patterson explained that she enjoyed eating wild mushrooms but their short season made preservation necessary. She used the dehydrator for this purpose, among other food preservation tasks. Images of dehydrated mushrooms on the appliance shelves were submitted to the court as part of the evidence.

Under intense questioning, Patterson admitted that death cap mushrooms were present in the beef wellington served in July 2023 but maintained that their inclusion was accidental. The trial continues as both prosecution and defense unravel the details of the case.