Each of these fungi possesses very interesting and unique characteristics and has ignited scientists to study their active compounds and potential benefits. Ganoderma lucidum is a large, dark mushroom that has been used for over 2000 years in Asian countries. It is more commonly known as Lingzhi in China and Reishi in Japan. Its name came from the word “lucidus” which means shiny in Latin referring to its glossy and woody exterior. The ancient Chinese believes Lingzhi to be the herb of spiritual potency, symbolizing success, divine power, longevity, and well-being. South Chinese people favor the cultivation of black Lingzhi while Japanese natives prefer the red variety. As of the early 2000s, more than 90 brands of products containing G. lucidum were registered and marketed internationally. Inonotus obliqus is a parasitic fungus on birch trees that produces the appearance of burnt charcoal. It is also known as Chaga and commonly grows in birch forests of the Northern Hemisphere throughout Russia, Northern Europe, Northern US, and Canada.
In the mountain regions of Siberia, the natives drank Chaga tea, inhaled it, or used it as an ointment. The use of Chaga eventually spread to the other western mountains and to the Baltic regions of Eastern Europe. Three types of metabolites are always reported in Chaga mushrooms. They are betulin, betulinic acid, and inotodiol. Chaga fungus also grows on other types of trees – alder, oak, and poplar – although its appearance changes depending on the host tree. The Lion’s Mane mushroom, Hericium erinaceus, is an edible mushroom with several uses in traditional eastern medicine. It’s also used in culinary science as a specialty mushroom along with shiitake and oyster mushrooms. In China, Lion’s Mane has been listed as one of the four famous cuisines alongside bear’s paws, trepang, and shark’s fin. Lion’s mane is native to North America, Europe, and Asia and is characterized by its long white spines and beard-like appearance.
Trametes versicolor or Turkey Tail is a cosmopolitan mushroom with a brown and tan exterior that resembles a turkey’s feather – hence the name. It was traditionally used in Chinese and Japanese traditional medicine. Now, it is cultivated in Japan to harness polysaccharide K (PSK), one of the mushroom’s active compounds. Other extracts and biochemicals of the Turkey Tail mushrooms are explored as food products, additives, and medicinal foods. Cordyceps sinensis or simply Cordyceps is a saprobe that grows on insect larvae. Known as Dongchongxiacao (winter-worm summer grass) in ancient China, it is one of the most famous herbs in traditional Chinese medicine. It had been used as a remedy for more than 300 years and is known for its sweet taste. Over-exploration and restriction of habitat affect the natural growth of C. sinensis. Based on a 2007 survey, the natural yield of C. sinensis decreased by 90% in the past 25 years. As such, its price rocketed and several natural substitutes have emerged in the market since then. The increase in the demand for mushroom supplements piques consumers’ interest in their potential health benefits. As such, careful lab testing to verify mushroom supplements’ health benefits is necessary to ensure your products’ integrity and to avoid false claims. Our network of ISO 17025 accredited laboratories provide comprehensive testing to support manufacturers who are developing mushroom-based products and supplements. Verify your raw materials. Ensure the purity of your products from potential chemical or physical contaminants. Verify safety with pathogen screening. Help you mitigate risk with environmental monitoring.
By Jill Nussinow, M.S., R.D. I get blank stares when I ask my vegetarian cooking students if they’ve ever eaten seitan (say-tahn). To learn more on manufacturer of shiitake mushroom extract powder as Raw Material for Supplements review the web site. Yet, hands go up when I ask if anybody has ever eaten mock chicken, beef, or pork in a Chinese vegetarian restaurant. The name is foreign but you may be more familiar with the product than you think. According to Barbara and Leonard Jacobs in their excellent book Cooking with Seitan, The Complete Vegetarian “Wheat-Meat” Cookbook, “seitan has been a staple food among vegetarian monks of China, Russian wheat farmers, peasants of Southeast Asia, and Mormons. People who had traditionally eaten wheat had also discovered a method to extract the gluten and create a seitan-like product.” Seitan is derived from the protein portion of wheat. It stands in for meat in many recipes and works so well that a number of vegetarians avoid it because the texture is too “meaty.” Gluten can be flavored in a variety of ways.