This article is 1900 words and takes about 4 minutes to read
Today, there is a hot search on Weibo that is #aunty eat fungus soaked for 2 days and live in ICU the next day#, in fact, every year you can see eating fungus liver every year Poisoned news. Today, let’s talk about why it is so poisonous? How is it safe to soak?
Too long to read
The fungus itself is not poisonous, but “Pseudomonas cocoa” and its metabolite “Rice yeast” may be produced during the drying process of the fungus. Bacterial acid toxins” are highly toxic.
When soaking fungus, keep it clean, low temperature, and time control. If you need to soak for more than 2 hours, you need to put it in the refrigerator.
Although the fungus is nutritious, it cannot prevent and cure diseases.
Poisoning is due to improper soaking
The main culprit of the poisoning is “Pseudomonas cocoa” and its metabolite “Rice yeast” which grow wildly during the process of foaming the fungus. Bacterial acid toxin”.
The symptoms of its poisoning are severe and the consequences are severe: vomiting, unconsciousness, jaundice, hepatomegaly, subcutaneous hemorrhage, hematemesis, hematuria, convulsions, convulsions, shock, organ failure…Case fatality rate is 40%-100%, no specific antidote. [6]
And this toxin is very heat-resistant and cannot be removed by high-temperature cooking. Even if a small amount is ingested and mildly poisoned, symptoms such as fatigue, diarrhea, and vomiting may occur. The incubation period of the poison is usually half an hour to 12 hours, and it may be as long as 3 days. If these symptoms occur after eating fungus, you should be alert and seek medical attention in time. [6]
Actually the fungus itself does not contain toxins, it is the warm and oxygen-isolated environment during the process of soaking and drying the fungus that leads to the growth of bacteria. The nutrients of the fungus itself provide sufficient nutrients for the bacteria.
To avoid poisoning, the key is to pay attention to food safety and cooking hygiene, and not to provide a breeding environment for bacteria.
How to soak fungus is safe
Cleanliness guaranteed
First, rinse the dried fungus before soaking it.
Also keep the container and surrounding environment clean, and make sure that there are no residues of other food in the container and no other spoiled food around. The water in which the fungus is soaked should also be kept clean and clear.
Watch the time
If boiling water or hot water is used, the fungus can be soaked in about 10 minutes for the next step of cooking. (The cold salad still needs to be blanched)
Do not soak in cold water for more than 4 hours, If it takes longer, place in the refrigerator.
It is best not to soak overnight.
Temperature
“Pseudomonas cocoa” has an optimum growth temperature of 37°C and an optimum toxigenic temperature of 26°C. [6]
If the room temperature in your area is very high (over 20°C), or if the fungus cannot be processed within 2 hours of soaking, you can put it in the refrigerator.
Discard in time
If you smell peculiar smell or feel a sticky feel when checking the soaked fungus, discard the fungus decisively. Life is more important. Don’t soak too much at one time, this is more likely to happen to fungus that can’t be eaten and soaked for a long time.
What should I do if there is too much fungus?
The soaked fungus, drain the water and put it in a fresh-keeping bag, can be refrigerated for one to two days. If you need to store it for a longer time, consider freezing.
If the fungus has been cooked and seasoned, considering that it is difficult to absorb water at this time, it should be placed in the refrigerator as soon as possible, and it should not be refrigerated for more than 24 hours.
Not only the fungus, but also other dry goods such as white fungus, shiitake, bean curd, and yuba.
How about fresh fungus?
Since soaking fungus is so troublesome, why not just buy fresh fungus?
First of all, fresh fungus is more difficult to buy. Secondly, in the process of transportation and storage of fresh fungus, if you are slightly negligent, it is easy to become wet and sticky, and bacteria are produced in large quantities.
If you are lucky enough to buy a refreshing fresh fungus, eat it as soon as possible.
In addition, fresh fungus is recommended to be boiled in water, not raw. In addition to reducing the risk of microorganisms, blanching can remove tannic acid and dissolve the photosensitive substances porphyrin (eating fresh fungus + sun exposure + porphyrin) that may cause solar dermatitis Abnormal metabolism of morpholino can cause solar dermatitis, friends who soak dried fungus and eat do not need to worry).
Safety reminder for cold dishes
In addition to cold fungus, cold bean curd, cucumber, okra, lotus root slices are all good appetizers. However, cold dishes also bring some food safety risks. Pay attention to the following points when making them:
First of all, pay attention to separate raw and cooked, and do not touch cold dishes with knives, cutting boards, or utensils that have processed raw meat.
In the premise of not affecting the taste, try to boil and cook.
Cool water after blanching, use clean, cold water that can be drunk directly, or spread directly on a larger plate and put it in the refrigerator to cool.
What are the benefits of eating fungus?
High-quality bacteria and algae representatives
Auricularia fungus is a nutrient-rich mushroom food, rich in amino acids, dietary fiber, minerals and polysaccharides, as well as B vitamins that are rarely found in vegetables /strong> and Vitamin D. [1]
10g of high-quality dried fungus is 150-175g after watering, which is exactly a plate of cold fungus, which contains 3g of dietary fiber, which is equivalent to one-tenth of the daily requirement, helps Prevent constipation and lower blood lipids.
Ingredient descriptions are often tricky
The content of calcium and iron in fungus is indeed very high. It is said that it can reach ten times that of meat, but this comparison is a bit exaggerated.
First of all, the fungus with calcium and iron content of hundreds of milligrams per 100 grams was measured after drying. [2] After the dried fungus is soaked, we actually eat it at one time. Not much.
In addition, the iron in the fungus is non-hemoglobin iron, and the absorption and utilization rate of the human body is far less than the hemoglobin iron in meat.
Health benefits are not magical
Auricularia polysaccharide extract has shown anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, reducing blood coagulation, lowering blood lipid and other effects in many in vitro experiments and animal experiments. [1][3][4][5]
However, please note that the research used is all A fungus polysaccharide extract, not the fungus itself, and it is all animal experiments, and clinical trials are still lacking. With our daily consumption of fungus, the relevant effect is minimal. Don’t put unrealistic hopes on the fungus, and don’t delay formal treatment because of this.
Don’t expect to clear your lungs
It is impossible to talk about the claim that the fungus clears the lungs. The fungus can only contain the impurities in the digestive tract, and it has little effect on the respiratory tract. to the effect.
But it’s still good as an everyday meal.
A good companion for weight loss
Considering that the fungus is low in calories and high in fiber, it has a good satiety and a crisp taste, and can provide the joy of chewing, it is also very suitable to be added to the weight loss menu. However, the weight loss menu should also ensure adequate protein and a balanced variety of nutrients.
References: (Updated March 29, 2022)
[2] Wu Xianrui. Quality standard and nutritional composition of black fungus [J]. China Linxian Specialty Products, 1996(01):21-22.
[3] Liu Wenhe, Su Ling, Wang Qi. Comparative analysis of nutrients in black fungus in different production areas [J]. Northern Horticulture, 2020(05):121-128.
[5] Francia, Christelle, et al. “Current research findings on the effects of selected mushrooms on cardiovascular diseases.” International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms 1.2 (1999).
[6] Chen Jia. Study on the Poisoning Mechanism and Preventive Measures of Pseudomonas Coconut [J]. Modern Food, 2019(13):102-104