Letters to the Editor nd Corrections
etters to the Editor and Corrections
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n the 2020 spring edition of FUNGI (vol.14, no.2), the article “Morels are Growing Up” states “In China alone morels are
grown on around 13,000 hectares (about 200,000 acres).” 13,000 hectares is about 32,124 acres—a sizable difference. Elizabeth Lakeman (on behalf of Pieter Van der Shoot)
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n FUNGI vol. 14, no.3 there was an inspiring article presenting Lion’s Mane mushroom and its potential as a stimulator of
Nerve Growth Factor (NGF). Te article overall had valuable information on how Lion’s Mane can help with neurological improvement. However, we wanted to draw attention to the claim that this mushroom produces medicinally-important compounds called erinacines. We have seen this claim pop up in the literature a few times over the past few years. We have conducted our own investigation into this issue to finally clear up this confusion. Te source of the confusion comes from one particular citation referenced (Yaoita et al.; 2005; Chem. Pharm. Bull. 53[9]: 1202–1203) and it is further noted that the author of the FUNGI paper has misspelled the name as “Aoita.” Tis is the only paper that has made the scientific claim that erinacines can be from fruiting body material. Other articles since have also cited this Yaoita et al. 2005 paper making it seem that there is more evidence, but in fact it is just this one paper actually claiming through scientific analysis that they have indeed found the compounds. An authority on the subject, Professor Kawagishi in Japan, the forefather and namer of hericenone and erinacine compounds back in 1980s, confirmed that the authors had misinterpreted their results claiming erinacines, but actually had found analogues of hericenones. We have found that some private testing labs have shown erinacine content in fruiting body extract products but that these results stem from poor and erroneous scientific methodology (using HPLC instead of much more sensitive NMR, using ganoderic acid reference standards instead of erinacine, etc.). We believe it is important that word gets out for companies and individuals to test their materials at different labs and not to put 100% confidence in one lab or set of lab results, in order to avoid misinformation and error spreading. Peter Petros, Research Analyst KÄÄPÄ Biotech, Finland
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wanted to bring an error to your attention in the winter 2021 edition of FUNGI (vol. 14, no.5). Tis is in regards to Denis
Benjamin’s review of notable cookbooks. Te first notable mushroom cookbook in the USA wasn’t Joe’s Book of Mushroom Cookery as stated on page 45. Twenty one years before that, in 1965, Rosetta Reitz’s book Mushroom Cookery was published by Gramercy Publishing, NY. It’s an excellent, and certainly notable mushroom cookbook, packed with recipes. On almost every left-hand page at the bottom throughout the whole book she put: “Don’t wash or peel mushrooms. Wipe clean with fingers, or a damp paper towel. Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each stem.” I consider that mostly outdated advice, but it’s interesting that she found it important enough to repeat on every other
Our biggest little fan, Silas Henry with a beautiful Laetiporus specimen. Thanks to his mom, Rachel Blankenship-Tucker for sharing this photo!
page! Some interesting recipes include Mushroom Deviled Eggs, Cream Cheese Mushroom Spread, Mushroom Chips, Nutty Mushroom Balls, Mushroom Madrilene (Jellied Mushroom Soup), Mushroom Mayonnaise, Mushroom Fritters, Zingara Mushrooms, and Mushroom Solianka, just to name a few. She seems to have adapted many classic Czech, Russian, and Italian dishes. So many great and unique recipes in that little gem of a book. Rosetta Reitz is most remembered as “an American feminist and jazz historian who searched for and established a record label producing 18 albums of the music of the early women of jazz and the blues” (Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Rosetta_Reitz). Even though the book has been out of print for a while, there’s always a ton of copies available on Abebooks. com and Ebay for about $5. It’s an excellent book and still one of my favorites. Ben Ruiter
As always, thanks to our astute readers for keeping us on our toes! -Ed Winter 2022 FUNGI Volume 15:1 3
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