The shiitake (alternate form shitake) (; ''Lentinula edodes'') is an
edible mushroom
Edible mushrooms are the fleshy and edible fruit bodies of several species of macrofungi (fungi which bear fruiting structures that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye). They can appear either below ground (hypogeous) or above ground ...
native to
East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea and ...
, which is now cultivated and consumed around the globe. It is considered a
medicinal mushroom
Medicinal fungi are fungi that contain metabolites or can be induced to produce metabolites through biotechnology to develop prescription drugs. Compounds successfully developed into drugs or under research include antibiotics, anti-cancer drugs, ...
in some forms of
traditional medicine
Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...
.
Taxonomy and naming
The fungus was first
described scientifically as ''Agaricus edodes'' by
Miles Joseph Berkeley
Miles Joseph Berkeley (1 April 1803 – 30 July 1889) was an English cryptogamist and clergyman, and one of the founders of the science of plant pathology.
Life
Berkeley was born at Biggin Hall, Benefield, Northamptonshire, and educated at R ...
in 1877.
It was placed in the genus ''
Lentinula
''Lentinula'' is a small genus of wood-inhabiting agarics. The neotropical species ''Lentinula boryana'' (= ''L. cubensis'') is the type species. However, the best-known species is ''L. edodes'', the shiitake. The genus, erected by Fran ...
'' by
David Pegler
David Norman Pegler (born 2 November 1938) is a British mycologist. Until his retirement in 1998, he served as the Head of Mycology and assistant keeper of the herbarium at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew. Pegler received his BSc from London Univ ...
in 1976.
The fungus has acquired an extensive
synonymy
A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...
in its
taxonomic
Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification.
A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...
history:
*''Agaricus edodes'' Berk. (1878)
*''Armillaria edodes'' (Berk.) Sacc. (1887)
*''Mastoleucomychelloes edodes'' (Berk.) Kuntze (1891)
*''Cortinellus edodes'' (Berk.) S.Ito & S.Imai (1938)
*''Lentinus edodes'' (Berk.) Singer (1941)
*''Collybia shiitake'' J.Schröt. (1886)
*''Lepiota shiitake'' (J.Schröt.) Nobuj. Tanaka (1889)
*''Cortinellus shiitake'' (J.Schröt.) Henn. (1899)
*''Tricholoma shiitake'' (J.Schröt.) Lloyd (1918)
*''Lentinus shiitake'' (J.Schröt.) Singer (1936)
*''Lentinus tonkinensis'' Pat. (1890)
*''Lentinus mellianus'' Lohwag (1918)
The mushroom's Japanese name is composed of , for the tree ''
Castanopsis cuspidata
''Castanopsis cuspidata'' (Japanese chinquapin; Japanese tsuburajii, 円椎) is a species of ''Castanopsis'' native to southern Japan and southern Korea.
It is a medium-sized evergreen tree growing to 20–30 m tall, related to beech and oak. T ...
'' that provides the dead logs on which it is typically cultivated, and .
The
specific epithet
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
' is the
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
word for "edible".
It is also
commonly called "
sawtooth oak
''Quercus acutissima'', the sawtooth oak, is an Asian species of oak native to China, Tibet, Korea, Japan, Indochina (Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia) and the Himalayas (Nepal, Bhutan, northeastern India). It is widely planted in many lands ...
mushroom", "black forest mushroom", "black mushroom", "
golden oak
''Quercus alnifolia'', commonly known as the golden oak, is an evergreen oak species of Cyprus. Its common English name refers to the golden coloured lower surface of its leaves. ''Quercus alnifolia'' belongs to the endemic flora of the island a ...
mushroom", or "oakwood mushroom".
Habitat and distribution
Shiitake grow in groups on the decaying wood of
deciduous tree
In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, afte ...
s, particularly
shii and other
chinquapins,
chestnut
The chestnuts are the deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Castanea'', in the beech family Fagaceae. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.
The unrelat ...
,
oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
,
maple
''Acer'' () is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated since http ...
,
beech
Beech (''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Recent classifications recognize 10 to 13 species in two distinct subgenera, ''Engleriana'' and ''Fagus''. The ''Engle ...
,
sweetgum
''Liquidambar'', commonly called sweetgum
(star gum in the UK),
gum, redgum, satin-walnut, or American storax, is the only genus in the flowering plant family Altingiaceae and has 15 species. They were formerly often treated in Hamamelidaceae ...
,
poplar,
hornbeam
Hornbeams are hardwood trees in the flowering plant genus ''Carpinus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The 30–40 species occur across much of the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
Origin of names
The common English name ''hornbeam' ...
,
ironwood
Ironwood is a common name for many woods or plants that have a reputation for hardness, or specifically a wood density that is heavier than water (approximately 1000 kg/m3, or 62 pounds per cubic foot), although usage of the name ironwood in E ...
, and
mulberry
''Morus'', a genus of flowering plants in the family Moraceae, consists of diverse species of deciduous trees commonly known as mulberries, growing wild and under cultivation in many temperate world regions. Generally, the genus has 64 identif ...
. Its natural distribution includes warm and moist climates in
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
.
Cultivation history
The earliest written record of shiitake cultivation is seen in the ''Records of
Longquan
Longquan () is a county-level city and former county under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Lishui in southwestern Zhejiang Province, China, located on the upper reaches of the Ou River and bordering Fujian province to the sout ...
County'' () compiled by He Zhan () in 1209 during the
Song dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
in China. The 185-word description of shiitake cultivation from that literature was later cross-referenced many times and eventually adapted in a book by a Japanese horticulturist in 1796, the first book on shiitake cultivation in Japan.
The Japanese cultivated the mushroom by cutting
shii trees with axes and placing the logs by trees that were already growing shiitake or contained shiitake
spore
In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, f ...
s. Before 1982, the Japan Islands' variety of these mushrooms could only be grown in traditional locations using ancient methods. A 1982 report on the budding and growth of the Japanese variety revealed opportunities for commercial cultivation in the United States.
Shiitake are now widely cultivated worldwide, contributing about 25% of the total yearly production of mushrooms.
Commercially, shiitake mushrooms are typically grown in conditions similar to their natural environment on either artificial substrate or hardwood logs, such as oak.
Culinary
Nutrition
In a reference serving, raw shiitake mushrooms provide of
food energy
Food energy is chemical energy that animals (including humans) derive from their food to sustain their metabolism, including their muscle, muscular activity.
Most animals derive most of their energy from aerobic respiration, namely combining the ...
and are 90% water, 7%
carbohydrates
In organic chemistry, a carbohydrate () is a biomolecule consisting of carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) atoms, usually with a hydrogen–oxygen atom ratio of 2:1 (as in water) and thus with the empirical formula (where ''m'' may or may ...
, 2%
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...
and less than 1%
fat
In nutrition science, nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such chemical compound, compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food.
The term often refers spec ...
. Raw shiitake mushrooms are rich sources (20% or more of the
Daily Value
The Reference Daily Intake (RDI) used in nutrition labeling on food and dietary supplement products in the U.S. and Canada is the daily intake level of a nutrient that is considered to be sufficient to meet the requirements of 97–98% of health ...
, DV) of
B vitamins
B vitamins are a class of water-soluble vitamins that play important roles in cell metabolism and synthesis of red blood cells. Though these vitamins share similar names (B1, B2, B3, etc.), they are chemically distinct compounds that often coexist ...
and contain moderate levels of some
dietary minerals
In the context of nutrition, a mineral is a chemical element required as an essential nutrient by organisms to perform functions necessary for life. However, the four major structural elements in the human body by weight (oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, ...
.
Like all mushrooms, shiitakes produce
vitamin D2
Ergocalciferol, also known as vitamin D2 and nonspecifically calciferol, is a type of vitamin D found in food and used as a dietary supplement. As a supplement it is used to prevent and treat vitamin D deficiency. This includes vitamin D defici ...
upon exposure of their internal
ergosterol
Ergosterol (ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3β-ol) is a sterol found in cell membranes of fungi and protozoa, serving many of the same functions that cholesterol serves in animal cells. Because many fungi and protozoa cannot survive without ergosterol, the ...
to
ultraviolet B
Ultraviolet (UV) is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength from 10 nm (with a corresponding frequency around 30 PHz) to 400 nm (750 THz), shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation i ...
(UVB) rays from sunlight or broadband UVB fluorescent tubes.
In 2015, a study with 52 adults suggested that regular shiitake consumption can improve immunity.
Uses
Fresh and dried shiitake have many uses in
East Asian cuisine
This is a list of Asian cuisines, by region. A cuisine is a characteristic style of cooking practices and traditions, usually associated with a specific culture or region. Asia, being the largest, most populous and culturally diverse continent, ...
. In Japan, they are served in
miso soup
is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a dashi stock into which softened miso paste is mixed. In addition, there are many optional ingredients (various vegetables, tofu, ''abura-age'', etc.) that may be added depending on regional and sea ...
, used as the basis for a kind of
vegetarian
Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter.
Vegetarianism m ...
''
dashi
is a family of stocks used in Japanese cuisine. ''Dashi'' forms the base for miso soup, clear broth soup, noodle broth soup, and many simmering liquids to accentuate the savory flavor known as umami. ''Dashi'' is also mixed into the flour ba ...
'', and as an ingredient in many steamed and
simmered
Simmering is a food preparation technique by which foods are cooked in hot liquids kept just below the boiling point of water (lower than ) and above poaching temperature (higher than ). To create a steady simmer, a liquid is brought to a boil, ...
dishes. In Chinese cuisine, they are often
sautéed in vegetarian dishes such as
Buddha's delight
Buddha's delight, often transliterated as ''Luóhàn zhāi'', ''lo han jai'', or ''lo hon jai'', is a vegetarian dish well known in Chinese and Buddhist cuisine. It is sometimes also called ''Luóhàn cài'' ().
The dish is traditionally enjoy ...
.
One type of high-grade shiitake is called in Japanese
and ' in Chinese, literally "winter mushroom". Another high-grade mushroom is called ' () in Chinese, literally "flower mushroom", which has a flower-like cracking pattern on the mushroom's upper surface. Both of these are produced at lower temperatures.
Research
Dermatitis
Rarely, consumption of raw or slightly cooked shiitake mushrooms may cause an
allergic reaction
Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, refer a number of conditions caused by the hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include hay fever, food allergies, atopic derma ...
called "shiitake dermatitis", including an
erythematous
Erythema (from the Greek , meaning red) is redness of the skin or mucous membranes, caused by hyperemia (increased blood flow) in superficial capillaries. It occurs with any skin injury, infection, or inflammation. Examples of erythema not assoc ...
, micro-
papular
A skin condition, also known as cutaneous condition, is any medical condition that affects the integumentary system—the organ system that encloses the Human body, body and includes skin, Nail (anatomy), nails, and related muscle and glands. Th ...
, streaky
pruriginous rash
A rash is a change of the human skin which affects its color, appearance, or texture.
A rash may be localized in one part of the body, or affect all the skin. Rashes may cause the skin to change color, itch, become warm, bumpy, chapped, dry, cr ...
that occurs all over the body including face and scalp, appearing about 24 hours after consumption, possibly worsening by
sun exposure
The ultraviolet radiation in sunlight has both positive and negative health effects, as it is required for the synthesis of vitamin D3 and is a mutagen. A dietary supplement can supply vitamin D without this mutagenic effect, but supplementati ...
and disappearing after 3 to 21 days.
This effect – presumably caused by the
polysaccharide
Polysaccharides (), or polycarbohydrates, are the most abundant carbohydrates found in food. They are long chain polymeric carbohydrates composed of monosaccharide units bound together by glycosidic linkages. This carbohydrate can react with wa ...
,
lentinan
Lentinan is a polysaccharide isolated from the fruit body of shiitake mushroom (''Lentinula edodes'' mycelium).
Chemistry
Lentinan is a β-1,3 beta-glucan with β-1,6 branching. It has a molecular weight of 500,000 Da and specific rotation of +14 ...
– is more common in East Asia,
[ but may be growing in occurrence in Europe as shiitake consumption increases.] Thorough cooking may eliminate the allergenicity
An allergen is a type of antigen that produces an abnormally vigorous immune response in which the immune system fights off a perceived threat that would otherwise be harmless to the body. Such reactions are called allergies.
In technical terms ...
.
Other uses
There is research investigating the use of shiitake mushrooms in producing organic fertilizer and compost
Compost is a mixture of ingredients used as plant fertilizer and to improve soil's physical, chemical and biological properties. It is commonly prepared by decomposing plant, food waste, recycling organic materials and manure. The resulting m ...
from hardwood.
Gallery
File:Shiitake mushroom in Vegetable store in Yuen Long.jpg, Fresh shiitake mushroom in the vegetable market in Hong Kong
File:Wild Shiitake-Mushroom Japan.JPG, Shiitake growing wild in Hokkaido
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel.
The la ...
File:Pyogobokkeum.jpg, Korean ''pyogo-bokkeum
''Bokkeum'' () is a category of stir-fried dishes in Korean cuisine.
Etymology
''Bokkeum'' () is a verbal noun derived from the Korean verb ''bokkda'' (), meaning "to cook food or food ingredients with little or a small amount of liquid by ...
'' (stir-fried shiitake mushroom)
File:Shiitake Meshi Ekiben.JPG, Japanese ekiben
are a specific type of ''bento'' boxed meals, sold on trains and at train stations in Japan. They come with disposable chopsticks (when necessary) or spoons. ''Ekiben'' containers can be made from plastic, wood, or ceramic. Many train stations ...
File:Shiitake timelapse.webm, Timelapse video of shiitake growth
File:Lentinan.svg, Lentinan
Lentinan is a polysaccharide isolated from the fruit body of shiitake mushroom (''Lentinula edodes'' mycelium).
Chemistry
Lentinan is a β-1,3 beta-glucan with β-1,6 branching. It has a molecular weight of 500,000 Da and specific rotation of +14 ...
, a beta-glucan
Beta-glucans, β-glucans comprise a group of β-D-glucose polysaccharides ( glucans) naturally occurring in the cell walls of cereals, bacteria, and fungi, with significantly differing physicochemical properties dependent on source. Typically, ...
isolated from the shiitake mushroom
File:Shitake Mushroom.jpg, Young shiitake mushrooms on a log
References
Citations
External links
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q320999
Articles containing video clips
Chinese edible mushrooms
Edible fungi
Fungi in cultivation
Fungi of Asia
Japanese cuisine terms
Marasmiaceae
Medicinal fungi