Commodity Fact Sheet Mushroom · paragraph story that features one of the mushroom varieties as the...
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08/11 This is one in a series of fact sheets composed by the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (CFAITC). For additional educational materials: CFAITC, 2300 River Plaza Drive, Sacramento, CA 95833-3293 (916) 561-5625 (800) 700-AITC Fax: (916) 561-5697 Email: [email protected] Website: www.LearnAboutAg.org ©2011 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. All rights reserved. Mushroom How Produced – The life of mushrooms begins in a labora- tory as tiny grains, but they will eventually grow into flavorful mushrooms in just five steps. Step 1 – Composting: At the farm, the grower prepares a growing medium called compost. The compost is often made from wetted straw, hay and/or crushed corncobs. The grower mixes the ingredients and waits for them to decompose. Once the material is bro- ken down, they bring the compost in- side to pasteurize it. Pasteurizing kills any insects or pests and removes am- monia, which formed during decompo- sition. This step is important because the compost provides nutrients for the mushrooms. Step 2 – Spawning: The mushroom compost must be inoculated with mush- room spawn for mushrooms to grow. Growers start the process by sterilizing a mixture often com- posed of rye grain, water and chalk. The grower spreads this mixture across the compost and the spawn will begin to ap- pear as a white to blue-white mass throughout the compost. The compost will fully grow with spawn in 14 to 21 days. Step 3 – Casing: The pasteurized compost is placed in stacked, wooden trays. A top-dressing, called casing, is lay- ered onto the compost. This is where the mushrooms will eventually form. Step 4 – Pinning: This is the growth stage where the shape of the mushroom forms, appearing like pins. From this point, it takes about a month to produce the first mushrooms for harvest. Step 5 – Cropping: Mushrooms develop at varying rates, so harvest can take six to 10 weeks. Once all of the mushrooms are picked, the trays are emptied and the growing area is pas- teurized with steam before a new crop is started. Mushroom farms today are highly technical operations with computer- ized systems to monitor each point in production. History – Ancient Egyptians believed mushrooms were the plant of immortality, according to the hieroglyphics of 4,600 years ago. The delicious flavor of mushrooms intrigued the pharaohs so much that they thought mushrooms were food for royalty and no commoner could touch them. In other civilizations throughout the world, including Russia, China, Greece, Mexico and Latin America, communities practiced mushroom rituals. Many believed that mushrooms had prop- erties that could produce super-human strength, help find lost objects and lead the soul to the gods. France was the leader in the formal cultivation of mushrooms and some say that Louis XIV was the first mushroom grow- er. In the seventeenth century, mushrooms were grown in special caves near Paris set aside for this unique form of agriculture. Varieties – The most popular mush- room is the white button, representing approximately 90 percent of mushrooms consumed in the United States. Crimini mushrooms, also known as baby ‘bel- las or browns, are similar in appearance to the white button, but have a light-tan to rich-brown cap and a firmer texture. Portabella mushrooms are another popular variety. Known as the “vegetar- ian meat,” they have a meat-like texture and flavor. Specialty mushroom vari- eties include shiitake, maitake, enoki, oyster, beech and blue trumpet. Commodity Value – Today, mushrooms are commercially produced in almost every state. As the top mushroom pro- ducing state, Pennsylvania accounts for approximately 60 percent of the total U.S. production. California is the second largest mushroom producing state, accounting for 20 percent of total U.S. mushroom production. Top Producing Counties – In California, mushrooms are primarily grown on the coastal strip between San Mateo and San Diego. The leading mushroom growing counties include Monterey, Santa Clara, Ventura, San Diego and San Mateo. As the top producing county, Monterey County alone accounts for nearly 40 percent of California’s total production. Nutritional Value – Mushrooms are a produce powerhouse of nutrients. Few foods naturally contain vitamin D, but mush- rooms are unique for being the only source in the produce aisle and one of the few non-fortified food sources. Mush- rooms are low in calories, fat-free, cholesterol-free and low in sodium. Mushrooms provide selenium, potassium, B vita- mins and ergothioneine, a naturally occurring antioxidant that helps protect the body’s cells. For additional information: The Mushroom Council 2880 Zanker Road, Suite 203 San Jose, CA 95134 (408) 432-7210 Email: [email protected] Website: www.mushroominfo.com Information compiled by the Mushroom Council Commodity Fact Sheet
Transcript of Commodity Fact Sheet Mushroom · paragraph story that features one of the mushroom varieties as the...
08/11
ThisisoneinaseriesoffactsheetscomposedbytheCaliforniaFoundationforAgricultureintheClassroom(CFAITC).Foradditionaleducationalmaterials:CFAITC,2300RiverPlazaDrive,Sacramento,CA95833-3293(916)561-5625 (800)700-AITC Fax:(916)561-5697Email:[email protected] Website:www.LearnAboutAg.org ©2011CaliforniaFoundationforAgricultureintheClassroom.Allrightsreserved.
MushroomHow Produced–Thelifeofmushroomsbeginsinalabora-toryastinygrains,buttheywilleventuallygrowintoflavorfulmushroomsinjustfivesteps.Step 1 – Composting:At the farm, thegrower prepares a growing mediumcalled compost. The compost is oftenmade from wetted straw, hay and/orcrushed corncobs. The grower mixesthe ingredients and waits for them todecompose.Once thematerial is bro-ken down, they bring the compost in-side to pasteurize it. Pasteurizing killsany insectsorpestsandremovesam-monia,which formedduringdecompo-sition. This step is important becausethe compost provides nutrients for themushrooms.Step 2 – Spawning: The mushroomcompostmustbeinoculatedwithmush-room spawn for mushrooms to grow.Growersstarttheprocessbysterilizingamixtureoftencom-posedofryegrain,waterandchalk.Thegrowerspreadsthismixtureacrossthecompostandthespawnwillbegintoap-pearasawhitetoblue-whitemassthroughoutthecompost.Thecompostwillfullygrowwithspawnin14to21days.Step 3 – Casing: The pasteurized compost is placed instacked,woodentrays.Atop-dressing,calledcasing,islay-ered onto the compost. This is where themushrooms willeventuallyform.Step4 – Pinning:Thisisthegrowthstagewheretheshapeofthemushroomforms,appearinglikepins.Fromthispoint,it takes about amonth to produce the firstmushrooms forharvest.Step 5 – Cropping:Mushroomsdevelopatvaryingrates,soharvestcantakesixto10weeks.Onceallofthemushroomsarepicked,thetraysareemptiedandthegrowingareaispas-teurizedwithsteambeforeanewcropisstarted.Mushroomfarms today are highly technical operationswith computer-izedsystemstomonitoreachpointinproduction.
History–AncientEgyptiansbelievedmushroomswere theplantof immortality,according to thehieroglyphicsof4,600yearsago.Thedeliciousflavorofmushrooms intrigued thepharaohssomuchthattheythoughtmushroomswerefoodfor royalty and no commoner could touch them. In othercivilizations throughout the world, including Russia, China,Greece, Mexico and LatinAmerica, communities practicedmushroomrituals.Manybelievedthatmushroomshadprop-ertiesthatcouldproducesuper-humanstrength,helpfindlostobjectsandleadthesoultothegods.
FrancewastheleaderintheformalcultivationofmushroomsandsomesaythatLouisXIVwasthefirstmushroomgrow-er. In the seventeenth century, mushrooms were grown in
special caves near Paris setaside for this unique form ofagriculture.
Varieties – The most popular mush-room is thewhite button, representingapproximately90percentofmushroomsconsumedintheUnitedStates.Criminimushrooms, also known as baby ‘bel-lasorbrowns,aresimilarinappearancetothewhitebutton,buthavealight-tantorich-browncapandafirmer texture.Portabella mushrooms are anotherpopularvariety.Knownasthe“vegetar-ianmeat,”theyhaveameat-liketextureand flavor. Specialty mushroom vari-eties include shiitake, maitake, enoki,
oyster,beechandbluetrumpet.
Commodity Value – Today, mushrooms are commerciallyproduced inalmosteverystate.As the topmushroompro-ducing state, Pennsylvania accounts for approximately 60percentofthetotalU.S.production.Californiaisthesecondlargestmushroomproducingstate,accountingfor20percentoftotalU.S.mushroomproduction.
Top Producing Counties – In California, mushrooms areprimarilygrownonthecoastalstripbetweenSanMateoandSanDiego.TheleadingmushroomgrowingcountiesincludeMonterey,SantaClara,Ventura,SanDiegoandSanMateo.Asthetopproducingcounty,MontereyCountyaloneaccountsfornearly40percentofCalifornia’stotalproduction.
Nutritional Value–Mushroomsareaproducepowerhouseofnutrients.FewfoodsnaturallycontainvitaminD,butmush-roomsareunique forbeing theonlysource in theproduceaisle and one of the few non-fortified food sources.Mush-roomsarelowincalories,fat-free,cholesterol-freeandlowinsodium.Mushroomsprovideselenium,potassium,Bvita-minsandergothioneine,anaturallyoccurringantioxidantthathelpsprotectthebody’scells.
For additional information:TheMushroomCouncil2880ZankerRoad,Suite203SanJose,CA95134(408)432-7210Email:[email protected]:www.mushroominfo.com
Information compiled by the Mushroom Council
Commodity Fact Sheet
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ThisisoneinaseriesoffactsheetscomposedbytheCaliforniaFoundationforAgricultureintheClassroom(CFAITC).Foradditionaleducationalmaterials:CFAITC,2300RiverPlazaDrive,Sacramento,CA95833-3293(916)561-5625 (800)700-AITC Fax:(916)561-5697Email:[email protected] Website:www.LearnAboutAg.org ©2011CaliforniaFoundationforAgricultureintheClassroom.Allrightsreserved.
Mushroom Activity Sheet
Lesson Plan: Mushroom Dissection
Fantastic Facts1. WhichcountyproducesthemostmushroomsinCalifornia?2. Whatisthemostpopularvarietyofmushroom?3. Whatmushroomvarietyisknownasthe“VegetarianMeat?”4. Whichancientcivilizationbelievedmushroomsweretheplant
ofimmortality?5. Namethreenutrientsthatarefoundinmushrooms.6. Howlongdoesatypicalmushroomharvestlast?7. Trueorfalse?Light,highhumidityandwarmtemperatureare
requiredformushroomgrowth.8. Whichprocesskillsinsectsorpestsandremovesammonia
fromthecompost?9. Trueorfalse?Itissafetoeatmushroomsfoundoutdoors.10. Whichcountrywastheleaderintheformalcultivationof
mushrooms?11. Whichmushroomvarietyisknownasbaby‘bellasorbrowns?
1)Monterey2)WhiteButton3)Portabella4)Egyptians5)Potassium,copper,vitaminD,phosphorusandergothioneine6)Sixto10weeks7)False.Mushroomgrowthdoesnotrequirelight.8)Pasteurization9)False.Onlyeatmushroomsboughtatamarket.10)France11)Crimini
Lesson Ideas• Persuadetheclassthatyourchosenmushroomvarietyisthebest.Createaconvincing,fact-basedadvertisementanddevelopasupportingsalespresentation.
• Determinethecurrentmarketprice(perpound)fordifferentmushroomvarieties.Weighthemushrooms,convertdatafromdollarsperpoundtodollarspergramandcomparetheprice.
• Egyptiansbelievedmushroomsweretheplantofimmortality.Researchspecificmushroomritualsforancientcivilizations.Createaworkofartthatcommunicatesthetraditionsandmythsofselectedcultures.
• Comparetheenergyflowofautotrophicplantsandhet-erotrophicfungi.CreateaVenndiagramshowingthesimilari-tiesanddifferences.
• Identifynutrientsfoundinmushroomsandtheireffectsonhumanhealth.Developatri-foldbrochuretoillustratethehealthbenefits.
• Researcheachmushroomvariety.Createafictional,multi-paragraphstorythatfeaturesoneofthemushroomvarietiesasthemaincharacter.Followthemushroom’sexperiencefromspawntosupper.
Introduction:Mushroomsarenaturalwonders.Verydifferentfromplants,thesefungihavecellwallsmadeofchitinanddonotgothroughthepro-cessofphotosynthesis.Thisactivityallowsstudentstoidentifyanddissectseveralvarietiesofmushrooms.
Materials:Scalpels,tweezers,microscopes,microscopeslidesandcoverslips,magnifyingglasses,paper,tape.
Procedure:1. Reviewmushroomanatomywiththeclass.Discussvarieties
ofmushroomsandmakeobservationsaboutvisualdifferencesandstructuralsimilarities.Discusstheimportantrolemush-roomsandallfungiserveintheecosystem.
2. Distributethreedifferentvarietiesofstore-boughtmushroomstotheclass.Eachstudent/groupshouldhaveonemushroom.
3. Instructstudentstoidentifyandrecordtheirgivenmushroomvariety.Havestudentscarefullybisectthemushroomtorevealtheinternalcomponents.Studentsmayeitherdrawtheirmushroomspecimenortapetheirspecimentoapieceofpaper.Guidestudentsinlabelingthefollowingparts:hyphae,fruitingbody,mycelium,cap,gills,stipe(stalk),ring,poresandscales.
4. Demonstrateuseofthescalpeltotakeasmallsampleofmushroomtissueformicroscopicobservation.Studentsplacetheirmushroomsampleonaslide,viewandrecordobserva-tions.Challengestudentstoalsodrawtheirmagnifiedtissuesampleandlabelcellwall,crosswall,nucleiandcytoplasm.
5. Studentscomparefindingsandsubmitcompletedlabreports.
6. Concludetheexperimentbyreviewingtheuniquequalitiesofmushroomsandtheirexceptionalnutritionalvalue.
2. Spawn production1. Compost production 3. Mushroom growing 4. Mushroom harvesting 5. Mushroom packaging
6. Mushroom transporting 7. Mushroom sales 8. Mushroom cooking 9. Enjoyment
Mushrooms to Market
Mushrooms
Produce Sale
