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 gro ...
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 ...
, which is now cultivated and consumed around the globe. It is considered a
medicinal mushroom 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 in 1877.
It was placed in the genus ''
Lentinula'' by
David Pegler in 1976.
The fungus has acquired an extensive
synonymy in its
taxonomic 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'' 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, bo ...
' is the
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, 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 ...
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 land ...
mushroom", "black forest mushroom", "black mushroom", "
golden oak mushroom", or "oakwood mushroom".
Habitat and distribution
Shiitake grow in groups on the decaying wood of
deciduous trees, 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 unrel ...
,
oak,
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 h ...
,
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 ''Engl ...
,
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 ...
, 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 ident ...
. 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 south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...
.
Cultivation history
The earliest written record of shiitake cultivation is seen in the ''Records of
Longquan 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 res ...
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 tree
''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 o ...
s 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, ...
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 muscular activity.
Most animals derive most of their energy from aerobic respiration, namely combining the carbohy ...
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 m ...
, 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, res ...
and less than 1%
fat. 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 healthy ...
, 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 coexi ...
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 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, t ...
to
ultraviolet B (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 a ...
, 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.
Vegetariani ...
''
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 b ...
'', and as an ingredient in many steamed and
simmered dishes. In Chinese cuisine, they are often
sautéed in vegetarian dishes such as
Buddha's delight.
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 derm ...
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 asso ...
, micro-
papular, 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, c ...
that occurs all over the body including face and scalp, appearing about 24 hours after consumption, possibly worsening by
sun exposure 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 w ...
,
lentinan – is more common in East Asia,
[ but may be growing in occurrence in Europe as shiitake consumption increases.] Thorough cooking may eliminate the allergenicity.
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 ...
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, Japan's Japanese archipelago, second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost Prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own List of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; th ...
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
File:Shiitake timelapse.webm, Timelapse video of shiitake growth
File:Lentinan.svg, Lentinan, 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