Mount Waverley grocers employed in Asian stores are actively distancing themselves from the allegation made by Erin Patterson, who claims to have bought lethal mushrooms from an Asian store in the area.
In a recent update, Ms. Patterson informed Victoria Police through a formal written statement that around three months before the unfortunate lunch incident, she had purchased a packet of dried mushrooms, with handwritten labeling, from an Asian grocery store in the Melbourne suburb.
The tragic episode from July 29 saw Pastor Ian Wilkinson become the sole survivor after consuming beef wellington with "lethal" mushrooms, served by Ms. Patterson in Leongatha, Victoria.
Ms. Patterson had invited her former in-laws Gail and Don Patterson, both 70, to her home for lunch on July 29 along with Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, and her husband Ian, 68. The dish resulted in the deaths of Heather, Gail, and Don.
Daily Mail Australia visited Asian grocers in the heart of Mount Waverley's bustling Hamilton Place. It stopped by the TK Asian Supermarket, a popular store in the area, to discuss the fatal incident.
Staff at the store candidly shared with Daily Mail Australia that they hadn't encountered any cases of mushroom-induced illnesses originating from their shop.
One staff member expressed his skepticism about the mushroom episode. On further prodding about Ms. Patterson’s purchase, he stated, "She mentioned a handwritten, white label. We've never retailed such products."
Additional visits to nearby stores like East Mart and 28 Mart resulted in similar insights. Interestingly, East Mart showcased their inventory to Daily Mail Australia, which notably excluded dried mushrooms and had only fresh or frozen varieties. While 28 Mart did carry dried mushrooms, they were professionally labeled, contrasting with Ms. Patterson's description.
To be clear, there's no direct implication towards any of these establishments for the sale of the said poisonous mushrooms. A recent review of health advisories, including the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) database, highlighted only one alert concerning mushrooms this year.
It referred to the recall of Natural Mushrooms' Enoki variant due to a misleading use-by-date, but importantly, these didn't sport handwritten labels.
In light of the events, the Australian Mushroom Growers Association affirmed the quality and safety of commercially-produced Australian mushrooms. Their advice? "For safe consumption, choose fresh, Australian-grown mushrooms."
Meanwhile, Ms. Patterson maintains her innocence, and as of now, no charges have been filed as the investigation continue.
