MUSHROOMS — FOR FOOD AND FLAVOR 



By William B. Esselen, Jr., Assistant Reseaich Professor and Carl R. Fellers. 

 Head of the Department of Food Technology 



This bulletin represents a summary of work carried on in this laboratory during 

 the past five years for the purpose of determining the food value of the commer- 

 cially grown mushroom, Agariciis campestris. Up to the time this investigation 

 was initiated but little information was available on the nutritive value of this 

 food. The results obtained show that when we eat mushrooms for their pleasing 

 flavor and as a garnish for other dishes, we are at the same time helping ourselves 

 to a nutritious food, particularly rich in the B vitamins. 



Mushroom Growing and Use 



For centuries nmshrooms have been highly esteemed as a food. The Pharaohs 

 of Egypt knew and prized the inushroom and believed that it grew up over night, 

 magically. In fact, during the reign of the Ceasars in Rome there was a law 

 concerning the grading and selling of mushrooms — a forerunner of our present 

 food laws. Mushrooms were thought to provide warriors with unusual strength 

 in battle. The Romans called them "food of the gods" and they were usually- 

 served only on festive occasions. The fine qualities of mushrooms were eulogized 

 by the poet Horace before the Christian era. 



Up to the 17th century the use of mushrooms was confined to the wild types, 

 found growing in meadows and pastures. During the reign of Louis XIV mush- 

 room culture was introduced in France. Parisian market gardeners made every 

 effort to learn the secrets of successful mushroom culture. In 1749 caves and 

 cellars were employed as locations for mushroom beds and the results showed such 

 an improvement over former methods that a new impetus was given to mushroom 

 culture. Thus a large mushroom industry was developed in France that amounted 

 to as much as $2,000,000 annually. Dried and canned mushrooms were imported 

 into this country in large amounts from about 1850 up to World War I. 



A little over fifty years ago the art of mushroom culture was introduced to 

 American growers and since then marked improvements have been made over 

 former methods. About 1918 the development of commercial methods for the 

 production of pure culture mushroom spawn did much to stimulate commercial 

 mushroom growing. 



In the United States mushrooms are usually grown commercially in especially 

 constructed growing houses or buildings that are long and windowless and pro- 

 tected against severe temperature changes. The mushrooms are grown under 

 conditions of controlled temperature and humidity in beds of rich humus. The 

 humus of the beds is inoculated with pure cultures of the mushroom spawn. 

 It takes about six weeks from the time the beds are inoculated before the mush- 

 rooms show up in definite "breaks". The mushrooms are usually gathered daily 

 when they are of medium size and before the veil (the thin membrane under the 

 cap stretching from the edge of the cap to the stem covering the gills) breaks. 



After being picked the mushrooms are sorted and graded in packing rooms, 

 according to Rettew, Gahm and Divine (20). They are usually sorted into four 

 grades and may be graded as follows: 



^Acknowledgement is due the Cultivated Mushroom Institute of America, New York, N. Y.. 

 for their interest and assistance in the preparation of this bulletin: and to Mr. G. R. Rettew of the 

 Chester County Mushroom Laboratories, West Chester, Pa., for permission to use pictures shown 

 in Plates 3 and 6. 



