The mushroom's Japanese nameshiitake (椎茸) is a compound word composed ofshii (椎,Castanopsis), for the treeCastanopsis cuspidata that provides the dead logs on which it is typically cultivated, andtake (茸, "mushroom").[5] Thespecific epithetedodes is theLatin word for "edible".[6]
The earliest written record of shiitake cultivation is seen in theRecords ofLongquan County (龍泉縣志) compiled by He Zhan (何澹) in 1209 during theSong dynasty in China.[8] The 185-word description of shiitake cultivation from that literature was later cross-referenced many times and eventually adapted in a book by a Japanese horticulturist Satō Chūryō (佐藤中陵) in 1796, the first book on shiitake cultivation in Japan.[9]The Japanese cultivated the mushroom by cuttingshii trees with axes and placing the logs by trees that were already growing shiitake or contained shiitakespores.[10][11] Before 1982, the Japan Islands' variety of these mushrooms could only be grown in traditional locations using ancient methods.[12] A 1982 report on the budding and growth of the Japanese variety revealed opportunities for commercial cultivation in the United States.[13]
Shiitake are widely cultivated worldwide, contributing about 25% of the total yearly production of mushrooms.[14] Commercially, shiitake mushrooms are typically grown in conditions similar to their natural environment on either artificial substrate or hardwood logs, such as oak.[13][14][15]
Rarely, consumption of raw or slightly cooked shiitake mushrooms may cause anallergic reaction called "shiitake dermatitis", including anerythematous, micro-papular, streakypruriginousrash that occurs all over the body including face and scalp, appearing about 24 hours after consumption, possibly worsening bysun exposure and disappearing after 3 to 21 days.[16] This effect – presumably caused by thepolysaccharide,lentinan[16] – is more common in East Asia,[17] but may be growing in occurrence in Europe as shiitake consumption increases.[16] Thorough cooking may eliminate theallergenicity.[18]
Fresh and dried shiitake have many uses inEast andSoutheast Asia. In Chinese cuisine, they are used in many dishes, including soups, braises, andstir-fried vegetable dishes such asBuddha's delight. InJapan, they are served inmiso soup, used as the basis for a kind ofvegetariandashi, and as an ingredient in many steamed andsimmered dishes.
Two prized varieties are produced in cooler temperatures: One high-grade variety is calleddōnggū (冬菇) (literally "winter mushroom") in Chinese, ordonko (冬子) in Japanese.[21] The most highly prized variety is calledhuāgū (花菇) (literally "flower mushroom") in Chinese, due to the flower-like pattern of cracks in the cap.
In a 100-gram (3+1⁄2-ounce) reference serving, raw shiitake mushrooms provide 141 kilojoules (34 kilocalories) offood energy and are 90% water, 7%carbohydrates, 2%protein and less than 1%fat. Raw shiitake mushrooms contain moderate levels of somedietary minerals.
Like all mushrooms, shiitakes producevitamin D2 upon exposure of their internalergosterol toultraviolet B (UVB) rays from sunlight or broadband UVB fluorescent tubes.[22][23]
^Vane CH; Drage TC; Snape CE. (2003). "Biodegradation of oak (Quercus alba) wood during growth of the Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes): A molecular approach".Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.51 (4):947–956.Bibcode:2003JAFC...51..947V.doi:10.1021/jf020932h.PMID12568554.
^abcBoels D; Landreau A; Bruneau C; Garnier R; Pulce C; Labadie M; de Haro L; Harry P. (2014). "Shiitake dermatitis recorded by French Poison Control Centers – New case series with clinical observations".Clinical Toxicology.52 (6):625–8.doi:10.3109/15563650.2014.923905.PMID24940644.S2CID21541970.
^Hérault M; Waton J; Bursztejn AC; Schmutz JL; Barbaud A. (2010). "Shiitake dermatitis now occurs in France".Annales de Dermatologie et de Vénéréologie.137 (4):290–3.doi:10.1016/j.annder.2010.02.007.PMID20417363.
^Ko JA; Lee BH; Lee JS; Park HJ. (2008). "Effect of UV-B exposure on the concentration of vitamin D2 in sliced shiitake mushroom (Lentinus edodes) and white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus)".J Agric Food Chem.50 (10):3671–3674.Bibcode:2008JAFC...56.3671K.doi:10.1021/jf073398s.PMID18442245.
