dried mushrooms

" Drying mushrooms is one method that would extend the shelf life of mushrooms. Dried mushrooms can be used in many different types of products. Furthermore, elevated temperatures during drying enhance enzymatic reaction that can result in improved flavor of dehydrated mushrooms. Drying mushrooms can have benefits to both consumers and mushroom producers. Consumers would benefit by having mushroom products that could be stored for a longer amount of time making it a more convenient ingredient to be used in recipes. The mushroom producers would benefit by having a means to reduce the amount of waste from the slicing process. In China, some 375 edible mushroom species can be found in the forests. Annually, over 1,000 tons of dried mushrooms are exported at a value of 20 million US dollars. According to the Forestry Statistics (1977) the forestry sector produced 0.176 million tons of edible mushrooms and wild ferns. Chinese dried mushrooms are also popular in international markets. World dried mushroom production was 25,097 metric tons (while China produced 7,000 metric tons) in 1991. In 2001, export value of world dried mushrooms was 261,900 US dollars (China’s export value was 126,430 US dollars in 2001). "