Vitamin D factory at home in summer

Scientists say and studies show that sun-dried shiitake produce vitamin D. Vitamin D is very important for health for us northerners, Europeans, non-Africans and non-Asians, everyone who goes to the doctor knows that, and everyone does. It is important for both adults and children. My relative, a pediatrician, told me some time ago that it is practically no longer necessary to do research, because almost every child lacks the sun vitamin and supplements need to be taken every cold season.

Sunbathing is nice, but we know that it should be done in moderation. It is necessary to apply all kinds of strong creams, seek shade, do not overheat, and have moderation for a charming vacation tan. And at the same time, vitamin D is vital for human health and energy. Such a simple and extraordinary mushroom - this one - can be of great help here.

Not everything is good to dry in the sun, for example herbs. But drying shiitake in the sun is really worth it. Of course, today's world has a lot of people, a lot of production, a lot of mass products. Industrial dryers rule and no one bothers to look for value in mass production anymore. Almost nobody, to be exact.

Interesting Japan

In Japan, which is the ancient homeland of shiitake dear to my heart, most of the production is also dried in dryers. But the Japanese wouldn't be Japanese if they couldn't surprise. For a long time, I like to read how these mushrooms are grown and cultivated in this Asian country. And one grower I follow with curiosity, Sugimoto , even when growing large quantities of shiitake, especially appreciates their ability to produce vitamin D.

Let's go back to ancient Japan, before there were any dryers. Back then, shiitake was dried over fire or charcoal.

Or... on hot tiles in midsummer.

Here's a passage I was able to find: In the Tenzo Kyokun, which is considered the bible of Zen temple cuisine, there is an elderly Tenzo (chef) who was sun-drying shiitake mushrooms on tiles laid out under the hot midsummer sun. When Dogen asked, “Why are you working so hard in this heat?” he replied, “This is the best time to dry them. Everything has its season. If not now, when should I dry them?” Sun-drying the shiitake on tiles laid out on the ground in midsummer was a good method, as it completely dried the mushrooms from above and below.

Of course, people have always looked for and are still looking for ways to prepare and preserve food. But now Sugimoto is increasing the vitamin D content of shiitake by exposing them to infrared rays. Times have changed, simply drying large quantities of food outdoors in the sun is risky and difficult: the weather is changeable, contamination is possible, the temperature is not enough, organic, pesticide- and fertilizer-free shiitake spoils quickly after harvesting, and can get moldy. The Japanese also say that shiitake should be dried quickly immediately after picking, because slow drying makes them less palatable and therefore quality deteriorates.

Shiitake grown on logs should be dried immediately after picking in hot air at a temperature of 40-55 °C for about 20 hours. For my own purposes, I always turn on the temperature of 45°C in the dryer and unshredded shiitake really dries for about 20 hours. If the mushrooms are extremely massive, and such mushrooms often grow on oak logs, drying can take up to 30 hours. Why can't the temperature be increased and everything done much faster? Of course it is possible, but then many valuable nutrients will die, the shiitake will "burn" and have the taste of burnt mushrooms. When coffee beans are over-roasted, they also sometimes have a bitter taste that you don't want to repeat. If I grow mushrooms on wooden logs, mostly oak, I really don't want to spoil them with too high a temperature and make all the work and quality go to waste.

Dried shiitake has a stronger aroma than fresh and has a great taste!

Back to Sugimoto. This company not only applies infrared rays in its production chain, which activates the production of vitamin D, but, as they say, is the only company in the world that has received a kosher certificate - insects are not allowed in Judaism, so each batch of dried shiitake is checked with an electron microscope to be certified. .

"The dried shiitake that is brought to our factory by the producers is further dried under infrared radiation to reduce its moisture content to less than 9% (normally around 12%). They are kept under a 240℃ ceramic plate for about 4 minutes, and the internal temperature of the shiitake reaches 80℃, vaporizing even the eggs of insects. Our company achieves zero insect eggs using only heating and sorting methods, and although we grow without pesticides, we grow wood, we are the only company in the world to be certified kosher.” One word – Japanese.

How to dry and make vitamin D yourself?

I myself tried all kinds of ways to dry shiitake in the sun: both on the south windowsill of the apartment (which worked best), and in the village in midsummer in the hottest sun outside in a cardboard box, and on a Monciškese plate in August when I was writing this text.

My conclusion from the experiences of windowsills, outdoors and balconies is as follows: it is best to dry shiitake in a dryer, and to keep the dried ones in the hot sun for an hour to produce vitamin D.

And here's why. As many times as I tried to dry shiitake shiitake in the sun, I managed to dry it only on the windowsill in a very hot sun for a couple of days. In other cases, the sunny time was running out, and the shitakas, after basking in the sun as best and as beautifully as possible, started to get wet from the outside air temperature in the evening, and the next day it was all over again. At the time when there is no heat from the sun, the mushrooms still spoil a little, brownish spots start to appear, the color deteriorates and the taste characteristics as well. And when fully dried in the dryer, they retain their great appearance and are on their way to further improvement with vitamin D. Academic data shows that 30 minutes to 3 hours of exposure to the sun is enough and vitamin D levels increase dramatically. Sugimoto points out that, "In an experiment conducted at Kobe Pharmaceutical University, when dried shiitake mushrooms were placed stem-side up and exposed to sunlight with an ultraviolet radiation level of 14.6 mW/cm² for 3 hours, the vitamin D2 levels, which were initially 0, 50 μg (20 IU) per dried shiitake increased to 12.20 μg (488 IU) within 1 hour (24-fold) and to 13.70 μg (548 IU) (27-fold) within 3 hours.'' numbers and all kinds of markings, but they convince me. The difference between 1 hour and 3 o'clock is minimal, indicating that only 1 h is sufficient. exposure to sunlight!

Tips

When drying shiitake, turn them stem-side up. Do not stack multiple floors to avoid overlapping. Air must circulate from all sides. It is best to lay it on a breathable material or something similar to a strainer. When exposed to strong sunlight, the bottom of the cap of dried shiitake will turn whitish. This is proof that enough UV rays have been received, so if it turns white, sun drying is complete. This difference is definitely visible, I can confirm. Allow them to cool before placing in a bag. If you put them in a plastic bag or similar while still hot from drying in the sun, they will condense inside the bag.

If you are interested in science: Shiitake and vitamin D

So, we can protect our skin and enjoy the sun in moderation, and shiitake can easily tan for us in the hottest summer noon and produce vitamin D. I wish everyone delicious food, good health, sunny days and vitamin D!