Market Prices of Black Fungus

Black fungus is a plant of the Auriculariaceae family, neutral in nature and sweet in taste, entering the stomach and large intestine meridians. It has the effects of nourishing, moistening dryness, nourishing blood and benefiting the stomach, invigorating blood and stopping bleeding, moistening the lungs, and lubricating the intestines. It is a relatively common vegetable in daily life. Let us take a look at the market prices of black fungus below!

Market Prices of Black Fungus

Grade-one black fungus costs about 60 to 70 yuan per jin, grade-two black fungus about 40 to 50 yuan per jin, and large-piece black fungus about 30 to 40 yuan per jin, with prices varying according to different markets.

Grade Classification of Black Fungus

1. First-grade product: The surface is bluish, the underside is grayish-white, glossy, with large and thick fruiting bodies, high expansion capacity, tough and elastic flesh, free of mud and impurities, free of insect damage, free of curled ears, and free of fist ears (dried products formed when the fungus sticks together after being turned over multiple times due to over-maturity and being dried insufficiently under prolonged sun exposure).

2. Second-grade product: Intact fruiting body shape, bluish surface, grayish-brown underside, free of mud and impurities, free of insect damage.

3. Third-grade product: Dark brown in color, uneven fruiting body shape, with some broken ears and mouse ears (small fungus formed due to insufficient nutrition or harvesting after autumn), free of mud and impurities, free of insect damage.

4. Fourth-grade product: Products that fail inspection and do not meet the first, second, or third grade standards, such as those without a proper fruiting body shape or with a large number of broken ears, but free of impurities and free of mold.

5. Substandard grade: Many broken ears, contains impurities, poor color.

Points to Note When Buying Black Fungus

1. Black fungus is not necessarily better the blacker it is. Consumers can distinguish true from false by identifying the color. Genuine black fungus is dark brown on the front and grayish-white on the back, while ground ear is yellowish-brown, and fungus soaked in magnesium sulfate is dark brown on both sides.

2. Black fungus has a very natural taste with a fresh fragrance, while adulterated fungus has the stench of ink.

3. As the saying goes, comparing three shops before buying never hurts. When purchasing, look at several shops so that you can buy satisfactory black fungus.

How to Select Black Fungus

1. Shape: Black fungus grows slowly in autumn, becoming thick and fleshy with abundant gelatinous substance, so when selecting, check whether the fruiting body shape is uniform. If the fruiting body shape is uniform with few curls, it indicates high-quality black fungus. If the flesh is thin and there are many curls, try not to buy it.

2. Color: High-quality black fungus has different colors on the front and back. Generally, the inner side appears black and glossy, while the back is gray without obvious veins. If both sides are entirely black, it is very likely that the merchant has sprayed it with chemicals, and you should try not to buy it.

3. Touch: Most of the fungus we buy is dried. Therefore, when selecting, first weigh it in your hand. Among black fungus of the same size, the lighter one is of higher quality; when pinched, it makes a crisp sound, the surface is smooth, and it is especially brittle. If it is more resilient and makes a dull sound when pinched, it indicates that the black fungus has a relatively high moisture content. This is not to say that such fungus is bad, but it is just not easy to store and prone to mold and deterioration, which is not good for health.

4. Rehydration rate: When buying fungus, we actually do not need to buy a lot, because high-quality black fungus has a very high rehydration rate, and buying too much may be wasteful. When soaking, if placed in water, high-quality black fungus first floats on the surface, then slowly absorbs water and expands, gradually unfolds, turns brownish-yellow to black in color, and finally floats evenly in the water, with each piece having very thick edges and tasting soft, smooth, and elastic when eaten.

5. Taste: Some merchants, for profit, add salt, astringent magnesium sulfate, sweet radium, etc. to black fungus. Genuine black fungus has no off-odor and tastes fresh and fragrant. When purchasing, you can break off a piece, lick it with your tongue, and taste whether there is any off-odor.

6. Quality: Fungus is divided into many types, such as fist ears, flowing ears, insect-damaged ears, etc. High-quality black fungus will not be mixed with these inferior fungi, or the impurity content will not exceed 0.3%, and each piece of black fungus is rootless and resistant to soaking in water.

7. Degree of dryness and moisture: If you want to know how dry or moist the black fungus is when buying it, then grab a handful of black fungus and weigh it in your hand. If there is a crisp sound, it indicates high-quality dried goods. Generally, the moisture content of black fungus is required to be below 11% to be considered qualified, so this method is simple and easy to learn.