Mushrooms are one of the ingredients that can spice up food or other dishes. They are considerably delicious and palatable. Yet, given their quality of taste and freshness, there may be some times that you bumped into buying some mushrooms that are no longer fresh. This may be caused by poor transportation or poor preservation.
In this article, we will be talking about how to preserve mushrooms spores. We will also list some steps in doing it in the comfort of your own home as well as growing mushrooms using the preserved spores.
Mushroom Spores Preservation
While having some challenges and problems when buying mushrooms at the store regarding their freshness and taste, there are various ways you can do it for you to preserve the least fresh mushroom on your own.
Did you know that you can preserve mushroom spores? Given you follow the guides and techniques, it will be very simple for you to utilize it by yourself. By preserving your least fresh mushrooms you bought from the stores, you will also be able to use it in the future.
The steps will be provided below. Just like any other process, it may be a little difficult at first, but when you get a hang of it, with no doubt, you will be able to manage it, and doing it will be very simple as time goes by.
How to Preserve Mushroom Spores: Step-by-step Details
Things Needed
- Cooking paper
- Knife
- Glass lid
- Stale mushroom
- Plastic bag
- Time
Preparation
Step # 1: Preparation of the Stale Mushroom
Place the sheet of cooking paper on a clean surface where you will do the process. Cut the stem of the stale mushroom and place the mushroom cap in the middle of the cooking paper. Use the glass lid by covering the mushroom cap. The mushroom should be left at room temperature.
Step #2: The Waiting Game
As soon as the mushroom cap is properly covered you can leave it overnight or at least within 8 to 24 hours. After the given time, you can remove the glass lid covering the mushroom cap. By this time, you will be able to notice the spores out from its gills. Spores are physically described like dots on the bottom of the mushroom cap.
Step #3: Storing Process
Once the lid is removed, you can then fold the cooking paper to cover every inch of the mushroom spores. Placed the covered mushroom in a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator for future use.
Growing the Spores Collected
Given that you do not want to spare a lot of time buying some stale mushrooms, you will be able to grow them at the comfort of your own home to ensure that every piece of picked mushroom for food preparation and other purposes are fresh and amazingly tasty. In the next section, we will give you some simple steps in growing your mushrooms at home by using the spores you have gotten during the preservation process.
How to Grow Mushroom from the Spores: Step-by-step Details
Things Needed
- The preserved spores in a plastic bag
- ¼ cup of water
- Container (Preferably glass)
- Cotton ball
- Microwave
- A sheet of aluminum foil
- Alcohol in a spray bottle
- Syringe
- 3 and a half cups of vermiculite
- 1 cup of brown rice
- Jar with lid
- Holing equipment (Hammer and nail)
- Large pot
- Paper towel
- Bucket
- Clear plastic wrapper
Preparation
Step #1: The Sterilization Process
Prepare the glass container and fill it with up to ¼ cup of water. Place a cotton ball on the top of the glass container to prevent any impurities. In addition to the decontamination process, place the glass container in a microwave for at least 3 minutes.
Prevent the water from boiling dry. As soon as the glass container has been microwaved for three minutes, you can set it aside and gently cover it using a sheet of aluminum to subside the heat.
Step #2: Workspace Disinfection
In addition to the previous decontamination process, sanitize your working space by spraying a 70% alcohol and use hand sanitizer for your hands.
Step #3: Transferring of Water
It is now time to remove the cotton ball on the glass container while rubbing it on the folded cooking paper where spores are present. Carefully put the spores on the glass container. After placing the spores by scrubbing them into the glass container with water, it is now time for you to draw the water from the container using the syringe.
Step #4: Preparation of Vermiculite
Now, prepare a bowl and place the 3 and a half cups of vermiculite. Dampen it by putting little water on it until it gets moistened. Add a cup of brown rice and mix it until the mixture gets even.
Step #5: Transferring of Vermiculite
Prepare the jar and place the mixture of vermiculite and brown rice. Add vermiculite if needed to fill it to the top.
Step #6: Holing Process
Make at least four holes on the lid of the jar in equal spaces. Close the jar using the lid.
Step #7: Jar Decontamination
Prepare a large pot where jars can be placed on. Add enough water on the pot and let it boil. Once the water boils, you can let the jar sit in the boiling water for at least 2 hours. After the given time, you can set it aside and let it cool down.
Step #8: Syringe Disinfection
Disinfect the needle by placing it on a flame until the needle turns red.
Step# 9: The Injecting Process
Inject the jar using the syringe with the spore solution.
Step #10: The Waiting Process
Keep the jar in a dark room with room temperature. Let the spores grow for about a month.
Step #11: The Final Process
Prepare the bucket and place and flatten the dampened paper towel on the bucket. Remove the contents in the glass jar and place it in the bucket. Cover the bucket using the clear plastic wrapper and let the air out once every day. As soon as you notice that mushroom caps start to show, that will be the time you can harvest them.
Conclusion
While mushrooms are very delicious and can brighten things up, especially the food you prepare, having new and fresh mushrooms can save up the day. Though you may not be able to manage to buy freshest mushrooms out there, you can in a lot of ways preserve them and even grow them in the comfort of your home. Hopefully, the steps laid above have helped you to succeed in it.
