Edible Mushroom Pest and Disease Control Methods and Candied Fruit Production Techniques

Key points: Shiitake stems or shiitake fruiting bodies may be used. The stems should be relatively uniform in length, fairly even in thickness, free of impurities, and free of pests and diseases; the mushrooms should be uniform in size, with thick flesh and a stem length of 1 cm.

I. Candied Shiitake Mushrooms

1. Material selection:

Shiitake stems or shiitake fruiting bodies may be used. The stems should be relatively uniform in length, fairly even in thickness, free of impurities, and free of pests and diseases; the mushrooms should be uniform in size, with thick flesh and a stem length of 1 cm.

2. Rinsing:

After trimming off the aged part at the base, the selected shiitake fruiting bodies or shiitake stems are placed in a rinsing solution to remove dirt and impurities. For rinsing stems, plain water is sufficient; if rinsing shiitake fruiting bodies, 0.03% sodium metabisulfite should be added to the water, which can inhibit the oxidase activity of the mushroom body and protect its color.

3. Blanching:

After the stems or fruiting bodies have been rinsed and color-protected, they are removed and drained, then put into hot water at 90-100°C and stirred while blanching for about 7 minutes, to increase elasticity and remove off-flavors. After cooking, they are taken out and squeezed to press out water, so that the moisture content in the stems is reduced to below about 65%.

4. Shaping and cold sugar soaking:

The pressed shiitake stems are shaped and cut into strips about 2 cm long and 0.5 cm thick, then soaked in a 40% concentration sugar solution at room temperature for about 6 hours, so that sugar molecules can enter the mushroom body.

5. Sugar boiling:

First prepare the boiling sugar solution by adding citric acid and sodium benzoate to a 65% sugar syrup at concentrations of 1% and 0.05% respectively. Bring the sugar solution to a boil, then pour in the shiitake stems that have been soaked in the cold sugar solution, boil over high heat, then switch to low heat for simmering. The weight ratio of stems to sugar solution is 1:1. During simmering, stir continuously with a non-iron tool, measure the sugar concentration frequently with a saccharimeter, and be sure not to scorch the mixture. The sugar solution concentration increases continuously with prolonged simmering; when it reaches 68%-70%, the simmering can be stopped.

6. Drying and packaging:

After sugar boiling and simmering are finished, the shiitake stems or mushroom strips are taken out and drained of excess sugar solution, then spread on drying trays, requiring even thickness, and placed in a drying oven to bake at 60°C for about 4 hours, with 2-3 turnings required to ensure even drying. When the shiitake stems or mushroom strips are squeezed by hand and no sugar solution comes out and they are basically no longer sticky, they can be taken out and cooled. After cooling, promptly wrap them in cellophane and place them in plastic bags, sealing the openings to prevent moisture absorption.

II. Candied Oyster Mushrooms

Select those that are disease-free, free of insect damage, normal in mushroom shape, thick and firm in flesh, with spores not yet dispersed, and relatively uniform in cap size, and cut off the stems.

2. Rinsing and color protection:

Place the selected oyster mushrooms in a 0.03% sodium metabisulfite rinsing solution for rinsing and color-protection treatment, then take them out and drain.

Put the rinsed and color-protected oyster mushrooms into a blanching solution at 90-100°C (the solution contains 0.03% sodium metabisulfite, which serves a color-protecting function), blanch for about 7 minutes, cool, and drain off the water for later use.

4. Hardening and cold sugar soaking:

Soak the blanched and cooled oyster mushrooms in a 0.4%-0.5% calcium chloride hardening agent to harden them for 8-10 hours. The weight ratio of mushrooms to hardening solution is 1:2. Rinse for 10 hours, take out and drain, then soak in a 40% cold sugar solution for 5-6 hours, so that the sugar solution initially enters the mushroom body.

First prepare the sugar solution by adding 1% citric acid and 0.03% sodium benzoate to a 60% sugar solution, and bring the boiling sugar solution to a boil. Then pour in the oyster mushrooms that have been soaked in the cold sugar solution, boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat; when the sugar solution concentration gradually concentrates to 68%-70%, the sugar boiling can be finished.

6. Baking and packaging: same as for candied shiitake mushrooms.