Foodies are rushing in! "Where can I find apple-flavored mushrooms? I'll help you taste them and see if they're delicious."

Recently, a "white mushroom" grew on an apple in Ms. Deng's home in Deqing County, Zhejiang Province. After taking a photo and posting it on social media, she unexpectedly received nearly 30,000 likes and also received a private message from Xu Rongju, a doctoral student at the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, who wanted to buy the apple for research.

Apple with mushrooms growing on it Image source: Social media account of the person involved

On July 11, Dr. Xu Rongju responded, "Thank you for sending the apples. We have cut them open for observation and inoculated them. This strain is very strong and worth studying."

Is this the legendary "apple mushroom"? Can you eat this mushroom? Does it taste like apple? Let's find out!

What exactly is “Apple Mushroom”?

Netizen: I just want to know if it’s edible!

Revealing the true identity of the "Apple Mushroom"! Dr. Xu Rongju said that the "white mushroom" on the apple is actually Schizophyllum (white ginseng) , a well-known edible fungus widely distributed around the world. It usually grows on rotten wood and also exists as a plant pathogen.

July 10 (left) and July 11 (right)

Comparison of the growth of white ginseng mycelium on apples. Photo provided by Dr. Xu Rongju

It has appeared on peaches, persimmons, and coconut shells before, but this is the first time I have seen it on apples . "This strain grows so strongly with very little substrate, which can provide a reference for the selection and breeding of white ginseng strains. In addition, if the hyphae of white ginseng infect apple pulp or trees, it is necessary to be vigilant about the possible impact of white ginseng on apple cultivation. "

Why do mushrooms grow on apples? Why do mushrooms grow on apples?

There are two explanations for this. One is that there is a wound on the fruit stalk, and the white ginseng spores infect the fruit stalk and spread to the core. If the temperature and humidity are suitable, the fruiting body can grow out from the top of the apple; the other is that the spores first infect the apple tree and spread to the fruit.

Experts believe that the first possibility is more likely. White ginseng grows best in an environment with a temperature of 5-30℃ and a relative humidity of more than 70%. June is the rainy season in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, which provides a good growth environment.

Is the "Apple Mushroom" delicious? Researchers really tried it! As soon as the relevant news came out, many netizens were curious about what the mushrooms grown on apples taste like?

"I just took a bite and it doesn't taste anything special." On the social platform, Dr. Xu's answer answered many netizens' questions.

He said that it is unlikely to grow white ginseng with apple flavor. Its special flavor mainly comes from its own amino acids and some special chemicals, so even if it grows from apple pulp, the flavor of white ginseng is unlikely to be affected by apples.

It is understood that the research team has separated the apple flesh, core, stalk, etc., isolated the hyphae from different parts, extracted the DNA sequence of the white ginseng fruiting body, and identified that the strain belongs to the type species of Schizophyllum.

The DNA sequence of the fruiting body of white ginseng extracted by the research team allows aggregation

The next step is to further separate and purify the mycelium, and soon we will be able to enter the cultivation experiment stage. The researchers said that they will help everyone taste whether it has an apple flavor after the cultivation is completed.

The "mushroom" in "apple mushroom" is edible.

Can the “apple” of “Apple Mushroom” be eaten?

Many people will ask, since the "mushrooms" growing on apples can be eaten, then the apple itself must also be edible, right?

At present, there is no definite conclusion on this issue, but what is certain is that moldy apples must not be eaten!

Don't eat moldy food! Molds present in food often grow in the right environmental conditions, including plenty of moisture, the right temperature, and the right pH. When molds grow on food, they release spores that can be spread through the air to other places.

When the surface of food meets the conditions for mold growth, the mold will begin to multiply rapidly.

They use the nutrients in the food as their own food and produce a compound called mycotoxin , which is a toxic substance that can cause harm to human health.

To avoid waste, cut off the moldy parts before eating?

Once food becomes moldy, invisible mold will be present in places where there is no mold , and some food may even be contaminated by toxins produced by mold.

A study once found that when you cut off the moldy part of food, toxins can still be detected within 1 cm. So as long as it is moldy, it is most likely inedible.

Moreover, most mold hyphae are transparent, and only spores have color. The color of the fungus appears to be thousands of spores, but when we can see the presence of fungi with the naked eye, it means it has been completely rotten.

In addition, what we see is only the surface. In fact, the inside of the food has undergone great changes, and when we wash it, the mold and fungi inside the food cannot be washed off.

To prevent food from getting moldy, we can take some measures, such as keeping food dry, storing it in sealed containers, and disposing of leftover food in time. In addition, it is also important to regularly clean and disinfect the area where food is stored .

As for how to tell whether moldy food can be eaten?

It is recommended not to identify it. As long as the food is moldy, just throw it away. There is no need to eat it. Foods like sauces, soy sauce, fermented black beans, fermented tofu, stinky tofu, etc. have strict production standards and strict requirements on the environment. Products can only be put on the market after they are qualified. It is better to throw away the moldy food found in daily life.

In short, it is not recommended to eat moldy food. Mold growth on food not only destroys the nutritional content of the food, but may also produce mycotoxins that are harmful to the human body. These toxins are difficult to completely eliminate even after high-temperature cooking, and may cause food poisoning, allergic reactions or long-term health problems.

To be on the safe side, once you find that food is moldy, the wisest thing to do is to discard it to avoid losing the big picture over the small.