The Shiitake ( Lentinula edodes ) is an edible mushroom native to East Asia, which is cultivated and consumed in many Asian countries, as well as being dried and exported to many countries around the world. It is a feature of many Asian cuisines including Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Thai. In the East, the Shiitake mushroom has long been considered a delicacy as well as a medicinal mushroom.
Taxonomy and naming
It is generally known in the English-speaking world by its Japanese name, shiitake .
listen ( help · info ) (kanji: 椎茸; literally " shii mushroom", from the Japanese name of the tree that provides the dead logs on which it is typically cultivated).
In Chinese, it is called xiānggū (香菇, literally "fragrant mushroom"). Two Chinese variant names for high grades of shiitake are dōnggū (Chinese: 冬菇 , "winter mushroom") and huāgū (花菇, "flower mushroom", which has a flower-like cracking pattern on the mushroom's upper surface); both are produced at colder temperatures. Other names by which the mushroom is known in English include Chinese black mushroom and black forest mushroom . In Korean it is called pyogo (hangul: 표고; hanja: 瓢菰), in Thai they are called hed hom (เห็ดหอม, "fragrant mushroom"), and in Vietnamese they are called nấm hương ("fragrant mushroom").
The species was formerly known as Lentinus edodes and Agaricus edodes . The latter name was first applied by the English botanist Miles Joseph Berkeley in 1878.
Cultivation history
Shiitake are native to China but have been grown in both Japan and China since prehistoric times. They have been cultivated for over 1,000 years; the first written record of shiitake cultivation can be traced to Wu Sang Guang, born during the Song Dynasty (AD 960–1127). However, some documents record the uncultivated mushroom being eaten as early as AD 199.
During the Ming Dynasty (AD 1368–1644), physician Wu Juei wrote that the mushroom could be used not only as a food but as a medicinal mushroom, taken as a remedy for upper respiratory diseases, poor blood circulation, liver trouble, exhaustion and weakness, and to boost qi , or life energy. It was also believed to prevent premature aging.
The Japanese cultivated the mushroom by slicing Shii trees with axes and placing the logs by trees which were already growing Shiitake or contained Shiitake mushroom spores. Before 1982 the Japanese variety of these mushrooms could only be grown in traditional locations using ancient methods. In the late 1970s, Gary F. Leatham published a doctoral thesis based on his research on the budding and growth of the Japan Islands variety; the work helped make commercial cultivation possible worldwide, and Dr. Leatham is now known in the industry as the "Father of Shiitake farming in the USA".
In the United States, Shiitake cultivation got off to a slow start, due to the USDA confusing the mushroom with an invasive species known as Lentinus lepideus . The USDA realized their mistake in 1972 and allowed importation and cultivation.
Culinary use
Fresh and dried shiitake have many uses in the cuisines of East Asia. In Chinese cuisine, they are often sauteed in vegetarian dishes such as Buddha's delight. In Japan, they are served in miso soup, used as the basis for a kind of vegetarian dashi , and also as an ingredient in many steamed and simmered dishes. In Korean cuisine, they are commonly used in dishes such as bulgogi (marinated grilled beef), jjigae (stews), and namul (sauteed vegetable dishes). In Thailand, they may be served either fried or steamed.
Shiitake are often dried and sold as preserved food in packages. These must be rehydrated by soaking in water before using. Many people prefer dried shiitake to fresh, considering that the sun-drying process draws out the umami flavour from the dried mushrooms by breaking down proteins into amino acids and transforms ergosterol to vitamin D. The stems of shiitake are rarely used in Japanese and other cuisines, primarily because the stems are harder and take longer to cook than the soft fleshy caps. The highest grade of shiitake are called donko in Japanese.
Today, Shiitake mushrooms have become popular in many other countries as well. Russia produces and also consumes large amounts of them, mostly sold pickled; and the shiitake is slowly making its way into western cuisine as well. There is a global industry in shiitake production, with local farms in most western countries in addition to large scale importation from China, Japan, Korea and elsewhere.
Because they can now be grown world wide, their availability is widespread and their price has decreased.
Shiitake research
Shiitake (椎茸, 香菇, 표고) is a popular culinary mushroom used in cuisine throughout the world. Research has demonstrated the Shiitake mushroom
- Stimulates the immune system
- Contains a cholesterol lowering compound known as eritadenine.
- Possesses anti-bacterial properties
- Possesses anti-viral properties (including anti-HIV and anti-HSV-1) (contains a proteinase inhibitor)
- Reduces platelet aggregation
Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC) is an α-glucan rich compound isolated from Shiitake. AHCC is a well tolerated compound that possess antioxidant activity, and is metabolized via the CYP450 2D6 pathway. Research has indicated AHCC possesses the following activity.
- Increasing resistance to pathogens in vivo (influenza virus) (west nile encephalitis) (bacterial infection) (various infectious agents) (bacterial infection) (influenza virus)
- Producing an anti-cancer effect (269 human hepatocellular carcinoma patients) (1 patient case study) (44 hepatocellular carcinoma patients)
- Enhancing immune function (double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 21 people)
Lentinan, a compound isolated from Shiitake, is used as an intravenous anti-cancer agent in some countries. Lentinan was developed by the Japanese pharmaceutical company Ajinomoto, and designed to treat cancers of the stomach. Studies have demonstrated lentinan possesses anti-tumor properties and human clinical studies have associated lentinan with a higher survival rate, higher quality of life, and lower re-occurrence of cancer. Clinical research with lentinan includes studies with, 78 hepatocellular carcinoma patients 32 gastric cancer patients, a multi-institutional study of lentinan and gastric cancer, a meta-analysis of lentinan and gastric cancer, 80 colorectal cancer patients, 20 gastric cancer patients, 36 hepatocellular carcinoma patients, and 29 pancreatic cancer patients. The City of Hope National Medical Center is currently conducting clinical trials to determine if a select portion of the Shiitake mushroom, which includes lentinan, can inhibit lung cancer.
Other
The Shiitake Growers Cooperative, in Japan's Oita Prefecture, awards the winner of each bi-monthly Japan Sumo Association tournament (Nihon Sumo Kyokai honbasho) a ceremonial large glass filled with Shiitake mushrooms, as well as a cash prize.
Shiitake gallery
See also
- Lentinan
- Medicinal mushrooms
- Polyprenols
- Active Hexose Correlated Compound
- Effect of sunlight on mushrooms
- Smith JE, Rowan NJ, Sullivan R Medicinal Mushrooms: Their Therapeutic Properties and Current Medical Usage with Special Emphasis on Cancer Treatments Cancer Research UK, 2001
References
- ^ . http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_5_3X_Shiitake_Mushroom.asp?sitearea=ETO.
- ^ Kazuko, Emi (2006). The Complete Book of Japanese Cooking . London: Hermes House. pp. 77. ISBN 978-0-681-28004-5.
- ^ . http://www.shroomery.org/8531/Getting-a-Year-round-Harvest-from-Japanese-Forest-Mushrooms.
- ^ a