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Why do common white mushrooms have deadly counterfeiters? Can you tell the difference?
Agaricus bisporus, commonly known as the cultivated mushroom, is a species of mushroom native to the grasslands of Eurasia and North America. It is cultivated in more than 70 countries and is one of the most common and widely consumed mushrooms worldwide. This mushroom comes in two colors when unripe: white and brown, both of which are known by various names, while in the mature state it is known as chestnut mushroom, portobello, bento mushroom, French mushroom, etc. In the wild, A. bisporus has some deadly impostors, notably Entoloma sinuatum.
These poisonous mushrooms, which are similar to Agaricus bisporus, may cause serious health risks to inexperienced people if ingested.
Description
The canopy of the original wild species is light gray-brown, with broad and flat scales on the surface, which gradually changes to a lighter color at the edge as it matures. Initially hemispherical, it flattens as it matures to a diameter of 5–10 cm. The narrow, compact gills are mainly free-shaped, initially pink, then reddish brown, and finally dark brown with white edges. The stem is cylindrical, up to 6 cm tall, with thick, narrow rings that may appear striped on the upper surface. This fleshy mushroom is white in color and displays a light pink discoloration when injured. The spore print is dark brown, the spores are oval or round, and the size is approximately 4.5–5.5 × 5–7.5 microns.
Similar species
Agaricus bisporus may be confused with a group of deadly mushrooms in the genus Amanita, known as "destroying angels." However, the latter can be distinguished from the pink or brown gills of A. bisporus by the sac or cup-like structure at its base and the pure white gills. A more common and less dangerous misunderstanding is mistaking A. bisporus for A. xanthodermus, an inedible mushroom found in grasslands around the world. A. xanthodermus has a phenol-like odor and its flesh turns yellow when injured.
Taxonomy
The taxonomic history of Agaricus bisporus is quite complex. It was first described by the British botanist Mordecai Cubitt Cooke in 1871 as a variety of Agaricus campestris (var. hortensis). Danish mycologist Jakob Emanuel Lange re-examined a cultivated sample in 1926 and named it Psalliota hortensis var. bispora. The species was elevated to species status in 1938 and renamed Psalliota bispora. Emil Imbach (1897–1970) changed its common name to Agaricus bisporus in 1946.
Name
When immature and white, this mushroom may be called: common mushroom, white mushroom, button mushroom, cultivated mushroom, table mushroom, Paris mushroom. When immature and brown, their names are: Swiss brown mushroom, Roman brown mushroom, Italian brown mushroom, cremini mushroom, chestnut mushroom (not to be confused with Pholiota adiposa), baby bella. When sold in its ripe state, this mushroom is brown in color, has a cap diameter of 10–15 cm, and is usually sold under the names Portobello, Portabella or Portobella. There is some debate about the etymology of this name.
Distribution and habitat
This mushroom is commonly found in fields and meadows around the world, especially after rainfall, from late spring to autumn, and especially in connection with fertilizers.
Cultivation
Production
In 2022, global mushroom (including truffle) production will be 48 million tons, of which China accounts for 94% of total production. Japan and the United States are minor producers.
History
Commercial cultivation of A. bisporus was first scientifically described by French botanist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort in 1707. French agronomist Olivier de Serres pointed out that transplanting mushroom mycelium will lead to the reproduction of more mushrooms. Initially, cultivation is unstable, with growers watching the mushroom growth in the fields, then digging up and replanting the mycelium in beds of compost or inoculated "bricks" of compressed feed, soil and fertilizer. This collected inoculum contains pathogens that may cause crop infection or failure to grow. In 1893, the Institut Pasteur in Paris discovered and produced a sterilized or pure culture inoculum for growth on composted horse manure. Modern commercial varieties were originally light brown in color. In 1925, a white mushroom was discovered in a brown mushroom bed at Keystone Mushroom Farm in Pennsylvania, USA. The owner of the farm, Louis Ferdinand Lambert, is a mycologist and brought the white mushrooms back to the laboratory for research. This mushroom is seen as more attractive and becomes an option for cultivation and distribution. Similar to the commercial history of the distinctly orange and red gourmet apples, the culture of these white mushrooms stems from random natural mutations dating back to 1925. To date, A. bisporus is cultivated in at least seventy countries around the world.
Nutrition
In 100 grams of raw white mushrooms, they provide 93 kilojoules (22 kcal) of energy and are an excellent source of B vitamins (riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid) (accounting for the daily value of 20% or more). Fresh mushrooms are also a good source of minerals (phosphorus and potassium) (10-19% of daily value). Although fresh A. bisporus contains only 0.2 micrograms (8 IU) of vitamin D per 100 grams, the ergocalciferol (D2) content increases significantly to 11.2 micrograms (446 IU) after exposure to UV light. The agaritine content in A. bisporus is 0.4 g/kg.
There are many misunderstandings about mushrooms circulating on the Internet. Can you clearly distinguish which ones are real edible mushrooms?
