The story begins when a young girl named Dang from Huzhou (Zhejiang Province, China) accidentally discovered an abandoned apple in her house that had suddenly sprouted white mushrooms. Initially, Ms. Dang thought it was just mold on the apple. However, after two days, the “mold” had developed into a pure white mushroom that resembled Ganoderma lucidum, as reported by ET Today on July 14, 2024.
Image of the character shared on social media.
This strange occurrence left Ms. Dang quite surprised. She shared photos of the apple with mushrooms on social media and garnered significant interest from the online community. Many expressed astonishment, considering it a rare and unusual phenomenon.
The story eventually reached the ears of experts at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Recognizing the uniqueness of the mushroom, the scientists contacted Ms. Dang to inquire about purchasing the apple with the mushroom for research purposes.
Professor and Dr. Qiao Qi, an engineer at the Kunming Institute of Botany, stated that the mushroom growing on the apple is known as Ganoderma lucidum (scientific name: Schizophyllum commune). This type of mushroom is typically found on decaying tree trunks and is rarely seen growing on fruit.
Dr. Xu Rongtu, who directly received the apple with the mushroom at the Biodiversity Laboratory of the Kunming Academy of Sciences, remarked: “This is the first time we have documented the occurrence of Ganoderma lucidum growing on an apple.”
He further explained that Ganoderma lucidum is a mushroom with high medicinal value, widely used in traditional medicine.
Experts believe that the spores of Ganoderma lucidum may have inadvertently attached to a scratch on the apple during storage. When exposed to favorable environmental conditions, the spores developed into a mature mushroom.
According to experts, Ganoderma lucidum is considered a superior product, with benefits that surpass those of ginseng. This mushroom has a sweet taste, is neutral in nature, and contains various bioactive compounds.
The health benefits of Ganoderma lucidum are highly valued. When properly prepared, this mushroom can help enhance the body’s immune system, combat tumors, resist bacteria, detoxify the liver, regulate blood pressure, treat hypertension, alleviate insomnia, calm the mind, and improve skin appearance…
