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Sydney Morning Herald
16-05-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Inside the forensic journey to unmask a deadly mushroom meal
An urgent taxi transported the leftovers further east to the Royal Botanic Gardens, but mycologist Camille Truong had already left for the day. As if following the script of the Ann Brashares novel the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, but for food, a colleague then dropped the food at Truong's suburban home. There the scientist extracted mushrooms from the leftovers with tweezers for the first time. Truong didn't see any death cap mushrooms inside, so she put the lunch leftovers in her fridge at home before taking them back to work and testing again later the next day. Despite using specialist tools, she told the jury she was unable to visually identify traces of death cap mushrooms using her microscope, finding only common field mushrooms. As the meal made its way across Melbourne, the court heard staff at Monash and the Austin hospitals were working around the clock to try to save the lives of the Pattersons and the Wilkinsons. The baked leftovers, now four days old, continued their forensic journey next into the hands of the Health Department and Agriculture Victoria. But still, the jury heard, there was no positive identification of the toxic mushrooms that were by now suspected of sitting decomposing inside the puff pastry wrapped morsels. On August 2, 2023, the leftovers were examined by David Lovelock, a virologist at Agriculture Victoria, who painstakingly examined the samples from the blue plastic bags. Photographs of the travelling lunch food displayed to the jury show the mushroom paste was by now distorted and mashed. Using DNA extraction techniques, Lovelock said he too was also unable to identify any death cap toxins in the sample. Lovelock told the jury he was, however, able to detect death caps in samples taken from a dehydrator that Erin Patterson had used to dry the mushrooms. He said they tested the samples against DNA from Amanita phalloides (the scientific name for death cap mushrooms), ghost mushrooms and yellow staining mushrooms. 'We were able to detect Amanita phalloides in two of the seven test tubes,' he said. Despite receiving treatment for suspected death cap mushroom poisoning on August 4, 2023, Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson died. The following day, Don Patterson also succumbed, unable to be saved by a liver transplant. It would be another few weeks before the dissected beef Wellington sample continued its journey by road, this time to the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine in Southbank. At 11.30am on August 29, 2023 – a month after the fatal lunch – the court heard the zip-sealed bags arrived at the Kavanagh Street building that also houses the state's morgue. Here, marked with the words biological hazard, the bags were photographed and emptied, again, onto four 12-centimetre-wide trays, picked apart and placed into nine clear vials with white lids. Head of forensic science and chief toxicologist Dimitri Gerostamoulos says his department dissected the meal into tiny samples – separated into pastry, meat and mushroom paste – and let them sit for three hours in a solvent used to draw out substances for detection. This time, for the first time, the court heard the tests finally confirmed doctors' suspicions – traces of death cap mushroom toxins inside the mushroom paste and beef samples. 'I can't comment on the way they've been handled, only on the fact we received them in a large ziplock bag,' Gerostamoulos told defence lawyer Colin Mandy, KC. This court heard this week that it takes three tablespoons of death cap mushroom toxin, or about 50 grams, to kill an average-sized adult. Gerostamoulos agreed the following factors could affect how someone recovers from ingesting toxic mushrooms: the amount they consume, the concentration of toxins within the meal, and their general health, age and weight. Loading The jury heard the toxins in death caps – alpha amanitin, beta amanitin and gamma amanitin – cause cells to stop replicating, and affect kidney and liver function. 'They are quite toxic in terms of their potency. They can lead to someone experiencing symptoms of diarrhoea, vomiting and feeling quite unwell,' he said. Gerostamoulos said the toxins, which are only found in small amounts in the mushrooms, can also cause tissue necrosis, organ failure, and eventually lead to the patient's death if they are not treated appropriately in hospital. Samples taken from Don Patterson and Ian Wilkinson, Gerostamoulos says, also later tested positive for a mushroom toxin, known as alpha and beta amanitin. Samples taken from Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson returned undetectable results. Gerostamoulos said this meant the levels were not detectable in the women's samples – but that didn't eliminate the possibility the toxin might have been present. Erin Patterson has pleaded not guilty to three charges of murder and one of attempted murder. Her lawyers have said the deaths were a terrible accident.
The Age
16-05-2025
- The Age
Inside the forensic journey to unmask a deadly mushroom meal
An urgent taxi transported the leftovers further east to the Royal Botanic Gardens, but mycologist Camille Truong had already left for the day. As if following the script of the Ann Brashares novel the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, but for food, a colleague then dropped the food at Truong's suburban home. There the scientist extracted mushrooms from the leftovers with tweezers for the first time. Truong didn't see any death cap mushrooms inside, so she put the lunch leftovers in her fridge at home before taking them back to work and testing again later the next day. Despite using specialist tools, she told the jury she was unable to visually identify traces of death cap mushrooms using her microscope, finding only common field mushrooms. As the meal made its way across Melbourne, the court heard staff at Monash and the Austin hospitals were working around the clock to try to save the lives of the Pattersons and the Wilkinsons. The baked leftovers, now four days old, continued their forensic journey next into the hands of the Health Department and Agriculture Victoria. But still, the jury heard, there was no positive identification of the toxic mushrooms that were by now suspected of sitting decomposing inside the puff pastry wrapped morsels. On August 2, 2023, the leftovers were examined by David Lovelock, a virologist at Agriculture Victoria, who painstakingly examined the samples from the blue plastic bags. Photographs of the travelling lunch food displayed to the jury show the mushroom paste was by now distorted and mashed. Using DNA extraction techniques, Lovelock said he too was also unable to identify any death cap toxins in the sample. Lovelock told the jury he was, however, able to detect death caps in samples taken from a dehydrator that Erin Patterson had used to dry the mushrooms. He said they tested the samples against DNA from Amanita phalloides (the scientific name for death cap mushrooms), ghost mushrooms and yellow staining mushrooms. 'We were able to detect Amanita phalloides in two of the seven test tubes,' he said. Despite receiving treatment for suspected death cap mushroom poisoning on August 4, 2023, Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson died. The following day, Don Patterson also succumbed, unable to be saved by a liver transplant. It would be another few weeks before the dissected beef Wellington sample continued its journey by road, this time to the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine in Southbank. At 11.30am on August 29, 2023 – a month after the fatal lunch – the court heard the zip-sealed bags arrived at the Kavanagh Street building that also houses the state's morgue. Here, marked with the words biological hazard, the bags were photographed and emptied, again, onto four 12-centimetre-wide trays, picked apart and placed into nine clear vials with white lids. Head of forensic science and chief toxicologist Dimitri Gerostamoulos says his department dissected the meal into tiny samples – separated into pastry, meat and mushroom paste – and let them sit for three hours in a solvent used to draw out substances for detection. This time, for the first time, the court heard the tests finally confirmed doctors' suspicions – traces of death cap mushroom toxins inside the mushroom paste and beef samples. 'I can't comment on the way they've been handled, only on the fact we received them in a large ziplock bag,' Gerostamoulos told defence lawyer Colin Mandy, KC. This court heard this week that it takes three tablespoons of death cap mushroom toxin, or about 50 grams, to kill an average-sized adult. Gerostamoulos agreed the following factors could affect how someone recovers from ingesting toxic mushrooms: the amount they consume, the concentration of toxins within the meal, and their general health, age and weight. Loading The jury heard the toxins in death caps – alpha amanitin, beta amanitin and gamma amanitin – cause cells to stop replicating, and affect kidney and liver function. 'They are quite toxic in terms of their potency. They can lead to someone experiencing symptoms of diarrhoea, vomiting and feeling quite unwell,' he said. Gerostamoulos said the toxins, which are only found in small amounts in the mushrooms, can also cause tissue necrosis, organ failure, and eventually lead to the patient's death if they are not treated appropriately in hospital. Samples taken from Don Patterson and Ian Wilkinson, Gerostamoulos says, also later tested positive for a mushroom toxin, known as alpha and beta amanitin. Samples taken from Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson returned undetectable results. Gerostamoulos said this meant the levels were not detectable in the women's samples – but that didn't eliminate the possibility the toxin might have been present. Erin Patterson has pleaded not guilty to three charges of murder and one of attempted murder. Her lawyers have said the deaths were a terrible accident.
Metro
30-04-2025
- Metro
I love Greece, but there's one city I'll never go back to
In the third installment of Metro Travel Hot Takes , Courtney Pochin reveals why Greece's ancient capital left her cold. As much as I love the beach, I've never been a 'fly and flop' kind of gal. Personally, I much prefer a city break. My favourite has always been New York; I never tire of seeing the skyline, Empire State Building, Central Park and the Statue of Liberty. I love it so much, I even got married there. Paris will always be the perfect destination for a chic weekend getaway, and I could wax lyrical about everything Rome has to offer (including where to find the best pasta). But there's one popular spot you won't find me rushing back to anytime soon: Athens. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. I'd always wanted to go to Greece (largely thanks to a childhood obsession with mythology and the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants). So when I found out the Holland America cruise I went on last summer was setting sail from Athens, I was thrilled. My husband and I decided to fly out a day ahead of the cruise so we'd have time to explore one of the world's most ancient cities. We spent a day exploring the Greek capital in my favourite way: without a strict schedule. Some people like to book tours or cram every tourist attraction possible into an itinerary, but I've always preferred to stroll about and see what I can find. I love stumbling across the unexpected and finding hidden gem foodie spots. However, for the most part, walking around Athens didn't give me the usual buzz I get from a good mooch around a city. I spent a while trying to put my finger on why that is, and I think it's because a lot of the city was quite run-down and there weren't as many things to do. Go to Rome and you can spend days taking it all in – from the Colosseum to the Trevi Fountain, the Vatican and Sistine Chapel – but once I reached the top of the Acropolis and gazed up in awe at the Parthenon (our first stop of the day), I felt done. I'd seen the thing I'd always wanted to see. The city's architecture also just didn't do it for me. I remember being so excited when I found out our hotel had a rooftop with views of the city — and so disappointed when I reached the top of the stairs. I'd wanted to sit and bask in the sights, but was met with shabby grey post-war blocks stretching as far as the eye can see. I hate to admit it and feel like a real snob for doing so, but I was just not in my element in Athens. Courtney's disappointment with Athens is not unique. On Reddit, you'll find dozens of reviews describing it as ugly, boring and overwhelming. But while the rundown outskirts are certainly serving 'shabby chic', Metro's Lola Alao argues that the heart of Greece's ancient capital is extraordinarily beautiful. It might look grubby at first glance, but Lola insists there are treasures to be found, if only you know where to look. Read her report here. However, there was one part of the city I did enjoy visiting, and that was the Plaka neighbourhood. Sitting in the shadow of the Acropolis, Plaka is incredibly picturesque with its quaint, cobbled streets, lined with homes and businesses covered in rambling colourful flowers and plants. It's everything I naively thought Athens would be… so naturally, it's a massive tourist trap. That doesn't mean it isn't worth a visit, though, because it makes for a great stroll, wandering down alleys, browsing shops, and climbing the famous Plaka Stairs. But there's one thing I wouldn't recommend doing here, no matter how tempted you are, and that's buying food and drink. As a food writer, I'm always looking for the most delicious thing to eat when I'm out, whether it's in London or Greece, and it's fair to say the food in Plaka, much like the area itself, is designed to appeal to holidaymakers — with prices to match. The Plaka Stairs, especially, are covered in cafes where the cost is as steep as the hill you're sitting on. Some won't see an issue with this, but if, like me, you're after authentic food on your trip, I have the perfect place for you. To Kati Allo can be found at Chatzichristou 12, Athina 117 42, and is a real hidden gem. While it's likely not so hidden for those who live in the city, it will be for most who like to book dinners online, because it doesn't have a website. And before you ask, there are no social media pages either. This restaurant was undoubtedly my favourite thing about Athens. Run by a local family, the only menu is written on a blackboard on the wall, so while I can't tell you exactly what was on it, I can assure you that you won't be disappointed. The traditional, home-cooked Greek food is phenomenal and the prices are reasonable too. We had a Greek Salad (€7) plus some grilled pork skewers (€8.50), but the priciest thing on the entire menu was the baked seabream which cost €14. We had to wait outside for a table after 8pm, but trust me when I tell you it's worth the wait. Sit outside if you can and people-watch the night away. Athens had long been the stuff of legend for me, but the real thing just didn't live up to its mythic status. More Trending It was a bit like meeting your favourite pop star in real life, and them being nothing like you'd imagined. Or finally trying a viral dessert after queuing for hours, only to discover it's been massively overhyped. But it's worth noting that it was my first time there and as we all know, first impressions can be deceiving. Just because it wasn't love at first sight for Athens and me, (I blame the grime and graffiti), doesn't mean it won't spark something special for you. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Full list of cancelled flights after power outage plunges Spain and Portugal into darkness MORE: Your rights if Spain and Portugal's power outage has affected your flight MORE: On the outskirts of Palma, I found the secret to the perfect city break
