Content
Among the gifts of nature that people use, mushrooms occupy a special place. They contain many vitamins and have excellent taste. In addition, their cultivation does not require large amounts of money and time. Therefore, for a long time, many have not missed the opportunity to use mushrooms in preparing various dishes for everyday cuisine and delicacies for the holidays. Among the more than four hundred varieties used for food, the most common are oyster mushrooms. Unfortunately, like other mushrooms, they are susceptible to disease. Very often you can find a white coating on oyster mushrooms. It is important to understand whether they can be used and whether such specimens will cause harm to the body.
What is white bloom on oyster mushrooms?
Many mushroom lovers, having bought oyster mushrooms in a store or taken them out of the refrigerator, are upset when they find white mold on them. It can be located on the base, on the cap, and even deep in the mushroom. Many of these products have the same fate - the trash bin. But don’t rush to throw away your favorite product. If it really is mold, then you can simply cut it off.
There is a high probability that this white fluff on oyster mushrooms is not mold, but mycelium or mycelium from which they appeared. You can calm down - it is not harmful to the human body. Perhaps the mushrooms were allowed to “warm up” and, as is customary in nature, they began to grow again. The mycelium and fruit body are similar in taste.
The fluffy coating only spoils the appearance of the product, but it does not affect the taste in any way, and during heat treatment it will completely disappear.
The mycelium often resembles white mold on the fruit body
Why does a white coating form on oyster mushrooms?
If oyster mushrooms are covered with white mold, this indicates that storage conditions have been violated - either in the store where the purchase was made or at home. Most likely, this product was stored in a plastic bag or under film, where access to fresh air was limited. And if this issue can be taken under control at home, then you need to think about the reputation of the store. It is better to buy forest products from a farm or mushroom farm that has a good reputation. Forest oyster mushrooms are stored longer than those obtained by production. Do not forget that they do not like moisture - this shortens the shelf life and can lead to an unpleasant odor.
Is it possible to eat oyster mushrooms if they have a white coating on them?
Everyone decides for themselves whether to eat a product that has plaque on it. If white mold appears on oyster mushrooms, be sure to smell the fruiting bodies. If the smell does not differ from the usual mushroom and there is no obvious unpleasant odor, then it is mycelium.
It will be enough to thoroughly rinse or clean the white formations from the stem and cap and you can start preparing your favorite dish. But do not forget that heat treatment in such cases is extremely necessary. It is quite dangerous to consume such a product fresh.
White plaque may be located on the plates themselves
How to avoid the appearance of white plaque on oyster mushrooms
After purchasing mushrooms, it would be good to eat or process them within the first 24 hours, since they are a perishable product. If it is not possible to prepare them as early as possible, then you need to remember important points:
- after opening the polyethylene, store in a dry place for no more than 5 days;
- transfer the polyethylene treat into a vacuum package or into a food container where there is access to air; you can use a regular saucepan, covering it with a lid or a thick dry towel;
- in the refrigerator you can place mushrooms only on the lowest shelf;
- Store in the refrigerator for no more than 10 days at a temperature from 0 to +2 degrees;
- After storage, prepare your favorite dish with careful heat treatment.
Conclusion
If oyster mushrooms have a white coating, this is not a reason to throw away the product. It is almost impossible to get poisoned by these fruiting bodies. If there is no unpleasant odor, a good mushroom aroma is felt, then the white coating is nothing more than mycelium. It is not hazardous to health and does not spoil the taste.The product must be used on the first day after purchase. If the oyster mushrooms in the refrigerator are covered with a white coating, it means that the storage conditions were violated. It is necessary to remove the light formations and begin cooking. It is important to adhere to the rules for storing the product and not keep it in plastic bags.
