Generally, wood ear mushrooms are very safe, but they can also be dangerous due to your own negligence.
Poisoning from Spoiled Wood Ear Mushrooms
In reality, one little-known fact is that wood ear mushrooms can spoil if not stored properly, leading to poisoning for those who consume them. Severe cases of poisoning can result in kidney failure, coma, and even death.
Signs of wood ear mushroom poisoning include headaches, dizziness, upper abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and overall fatigue. In severe cases, patients may experience liver swelling, coma, seizures, gastrointestinal and urinary bleeding. Some individuals may suffer from kidney dysfunction or acute liver necrosis. Without timely and effective emergency treatment, patients may die.
Note: To avoid consuming spoiled wood ear mushrooms, be sure to select them carefully before use. If they have spoiled, the mushroom caps will be torn and stick together, with scattered black spots, loss of elasticity, and a sour, foul smell.
Spoiled wood ear mushrooms will have torn caps that stick together, scattered black spots, loss of elasticity, and a sour, foul smell.
Avoid Soaking in Hot Water
When using wood ear mushrooms, many people tend to soak them in hot water for quicker expansion, but this practice is not advisable. Wood ear mushrooms are a type of plant high in water content, and when dried, they become hard. During preparation, it’s best to soak them in cold water to allow them to rehydrate gradually to their original state.
If immediate use is not necessary, soaking in cold water for 3-4 hours is ideal. One kilogram of dried wood ear mushrooms, after soaking in cold water, will yield 3.5-4.5 kilograms, resulting in a crispy and delicious texture. In contrast, soaking in hot water will yield only 2.5-3 kilograms per kilogram of dried mushrooms, resulting in a sticky and unappetizing texture.
Avoid using fresh wood ear mushrooms as they contain a phototoxic substance that can cause skin disease.
Avoid Using Freshly Harvested Wood Ear Mushrooms
Fresh wood ear mushrooms contain a phototoxic substance that is very sensitive to light. After consumption, exposure to sunlight can cause skin conditions. Symptoms include itching, swelling of exposed areas, and difficulty breathing. However, when wood ear mushrooms are dried, the phototoxic substance naturally dissipates, and their toxicity disappears, making them safe to eat.
Avoid Purchasing Mushrooms with Both Sides Black
Firstly, it’s important to understand that high-quality wood ear mushrooms will have different colors on the front and back surfaces. Generally, the back of the mushroom will be gray with distinct veins, while the inner cap will be a shiny black (the underside is black but dull). If you find that both sides are black when purchasing, it indicates that 80% of the mushrooms have been treated with chemicals, and you should avoid buying them.
Avoid Buying Overly Curly Mushrooms
Since wood ear mushrooms grow slowly, high-quality varieties will be thicker. Therefore, when purchasing, pay attention to whether the flower shapes of the mushrooms are uniform; if they are more uniform and less curled, the quality is likely higher. If the flesh is thin, the flowers are overly curled, the edges are broken, or they are white, these are signs of poor quality and should not be purchased. Additionally, mushrooms with small, thick, gray or brown caps are also of low quality and should be avoided.
