New ways to enjoy the humble shitake mushroom

A team from Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) won third prize at an entrepreneurship contest hosted by the Wenjiang government on April 7, for developing new ways to enjoy the humble shitake mushroom.

Led by Ye Qiang, an associate professor at Chengdu University of TCM, the team competed against a field of more than 40 teams from education and industry.

Shitakes are edible mushrooms native to East Asia, cultivated and consumed across the globe.

The team developed an innovative approach for using different parts of the mushrooms in new ways, such as using the caps for snacks, the flesh for sauces, and the flavor compounds for seasonings.

All the shitakes used were locally sourced from reliable producers, with the team also utilizing formulas and recipes used in TCM.

On the back of their award, the team is being helped by teachers and students from the school of public health to help drive the program forward.

The award also provides an ideal platform from which to approach potential investors.