ISMSNEWS A tribute to Dr. Chang T


he mushroom industry meeting calendar seems to fill up quickly, with so many worthwhile opportunities to meet with fellow scientists and industry professionals. In August, there is the Symposium on Edible Mushrooms in Brazil, in September the Annual Mushroom Short Course offered by Penn State University in the USA, in November the Chinese Mush- room Days will again be held in Zhangzhou and we are all looking forward to Mushroom Week 2016. But this September, there will be a special meeting honoring a member of our industry, which I will take time to attend and which I believe is worth mentioning. Professor S.T. Chang was a key member of the


ISMS ExCom for many years, and is an Honorary Lifetime member of our Society. With the help of such industry visionaries as Australia’s Mr. Marsh Lawson, Chang opened up China’s mushroom industry to the world and helped us become acquainted with what we affe- tionately still refer to as the “exotic” mushrooms, also known as Shiitake and Oyster and Straw Paddy. The book he co-edited with Dr. Fred Hayes, “The Biology and Cultivation of Edible Mushrooms” remains a key reference in most mushroom libraries today. He promoted the concept, long held in Asian countries, which spoke of the medicinal value of mushrooms, long before we had stud-


ied the complex molecules found in them, such as branched beta glucans, triterpenes and aromatase inhibitors. Perhaps most impor- tantly, he recognized that mushrooms could be used as a means of feeding populations that might otherwise struggle to survive. He travelled the world teaching others that mushrooms were a means by which communities could convert agricultural wastes using simple technologies, into higher value products that could create jobs, generate income and feed families. Titled the “International Seminar of Dr. S.T. Chang’s Academic Thoughts”, and hosted by his many colleagues in Shanghai, the meeting has been organized on the occasion of Chang’s


85th birthday, and celebrates the achievements of a man who has spent a career integrating mushrooms into the fiber of our society. The seminar intends to gather some of his colleagues from around the world, to review, discuss and expand on the areas of mushroom biology that have been the foundation of his storied career. As an industry we are indebted to Dr. S.T. Chang, for all that he has done to promote the value of our industry throughout the world, and I hope you will join me in wishing him a Happy 85th Birthday.


Mark Wach


CULTIVATIONTIPS ADVISIE By Jos Hilkens


AdVisie ‘the mushroom growing consultants’, Herkenbosch hilkens@mushroomconsulting.nl


Photo: AdVisie


Post-harvest discolouration Mushrooms are sometimes highly sensitive to post-harvest discolouration. On leaving the farm they have a reasonable appearance, but 24 hours later a pale cream/brown discolouration has changed them from ‘adequate’ into’ inadequate’. The fl avour is unaltered, but the product no longer has the same sales appeal. The fi rst tendency towards discolouration is often already visible at harvest. The cap feels rougher and is sometimes a little sticky. If the mushrooms are held too fi rmly and rubbed in the hand at picking there will be serious consequence for quality. Dropping mushrooms into the packaging instead of placing them carefully is also a no-go. Clear diff erences in discolouration of the mushrooms can be seen 24 hours after harvesting. Mushrooms picked with a light touch show clearly less discolouration. It is also impor- tant to grow mushrooms that are less, or not, sensitive to bruising and indentations caused by pressure. Another major aspect is creating the optimal growth conditions for the mushrooms. An important parameter is insuffi cient evaporation caused by too little fresh air or too high RH. The climate also often feels too chilly because of too much air movement and a low air temperature.


Try to reduce sensitivity by optimising the cultivation conditions. If things still go wrong, then pay some extra attention to picking techniques and care so that relegation in the quality league is avoided!


MUSHROOM BUSINESS 15


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