SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS COUNTLESS PROPERTIES

  Shiitake mushrooms are native to Japan. These medium-sized mushrooms have a soft consistency and a pleasant and delicate taste that recalls that of the Porcino mushrooms. They have always been used in the millenary oriental tradition for their countless properties. They are widely used in traditional oriental medicine and there are numerous publications in which the antioxidant, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties of these mushrooms, sometimes also referred to as a natural “viagra”, are recognized and discussed. Shiitake are today among the most cultivated, consumed and appreciated mushrooms in the…

MUSHROOM CLASSIFICATION AND CULTIVABLE SPECIES

  Mushrooms are classified into categories based on how they feed. There are basically four categories. These are: saprotrophs, mycorrhizal, parasites and endophytes. Saprotrophs Saprotrophic fungi use specific enzymes and acids that help them break down decaying organic matter, hence the dead tissues of trees, other plants and sometimes mammals. This allows them to feed on the decomposed matter. Saprotrophic fungi play a fundamental role in the decomposition process in nature, and therefore in the entire food chain. These mushrooms include: Agaricus Bisporus (White button, Portobello, Cremini) Morel mushrooms Reishi…

WHAT MUSHROOM SPECIES TO GROW

  AGARICUS BISPORUS (Button, Cremini, Portobello mushrooms) The collection of these mushrooms in different stages of their life produces types with different names, even if in reality it’s always the same species. The classic white Champignons or Button mushrooms are harvested at the beginning of their growth, or at most in an intermediate phase. Cremini are also called baby portobello or brown mushrooms. Portobello mushrooms are simply the most mature mushrooms of this genus, have a more apologetic brown color and the hat is more open. These mushrooms also grow…