Quality control of saltwater mushroom processing

Cleaning process
Use water that meets drinking water standards for cleaning. The quality of cleaning water is directly related to the cleanliness of mushrooms. The microbial indicators and pH of cleaning water should be tested regularly to prevent harmful microorganisms or chemicals in the water from contaminating mushrooms.

Use appropriate cleaning methods. For mushrooms with dirty surfaces or impurities, soaking and stirring can be used to ensure that dirt, grass clippings, and other impurities are thoroughly removed. At the same time, the cleaning time should not be too long to prevent the mushrooms from absorbing too much water and affecting the pickling effect. For example, the cleaning time of oyster mushrooms is generally controlled at 3-5 minutes.

Decapitation and pretreatment
Precisely control the temperature and time of decapitation. Decapitation is to destroy the enzyme activity in mushrooms through high-temperature treatment to prevent browning and deterioration. Generally speaking, mushrooms can be decapitated by boiling them in boiling water for 3-5 minutes, but different varieties of mushrooms may vary slightly. For example, the decapitation time of shiitake mushrooms may take 4-6 minutes because the texture of shiitake mushrooms is relatively thick.

Cooling should be carried out quickly after decapitation. You can soak or spray the mushrooms in cold water to quickly reduce the temperature to room temperature to avoid residual heat affecting the quality of the mushrooms. After cooling, the mushrooms should be pickled in time to prevent the growth of microorganisms.

Pickling process
Strictly control the formula of the pickling solution. The ingredients of the pickling solution usually include salt, sugar, vinegar, spices, etc. The concentration of salt is generally between 10% and 20%, which is used to inhibit the growth of microorganisms and maintain the flavor of the mushrooms; sugar can adjust the taste, and the general addition amount is about 3% to 5%; vinegar can not only increase the sour taste, but also has a certain preservative effect, and the addition amount is about 2% to 4%. The use of spices should be reasonably adjusted according to the flavor requirements of the product, such as adding pepper and star anise to increase the fragrance.

Ensure the depth and time of the mushrooms in the pickling solution. The mushrooms should be completely immersed in the pickling solution to prevent some mushrooms from being exposed to the air and deteriorating. The pickling time varies according to the mushroom variety and the pickling solution formula, generally 7 to 14 days. During the pickling process, stir the mushrooms in the pickling container regularly to ensure that the pickling liquid is in full contact with the mushrooms and to ensure uniform pickling.