 As the common name suggests , the fungus is highly toxic , and is responsible for the majority of fatal mushroom poisonings worldwide . Its biochemistry has been researched intensively for decades , and 30 grams ( 1 @.@ 1 ounces ) , or half a cap , of this mushroom is estimated to be enough to kill a human . In 2006 , a family of three in Poland was poisoned , resulting in one death and the two survivors requiring liver transplants . Some authorities strongly advise against putting suspected death caps in the same basket with fungi collected for the table and to avoid even touching them . Furthermore , the toxicity is not reduced by cooking , freezing , or drying . 
