A reader went to Tibet for a trip two years ago. After returning, she received some Cordyceps sinensis.
Because it was expensive, she was reluctant to eat it and stored it in the food cabinet,
thinking that she was in good health now and did not need to eat this tonic.
She would take it out and eat it when she needed it. But when she was cleaning the cabinet recently,
she found that the Cordyceps sinensis were all eaten by insects.
She said that it was a pity to throw away such an expensive thing,
but she was afraid that it would be bad for her health if she ate it. She was really in a dilemma.
——Refer to Jinhua Daily, October 15, 2010, Page 03
China has been a country of etiquette since ancient times, and the culture of gift-giving has never been interrupted. Faced with the "reciprocity" of relatives and friends, many families will face some embarrassing situations: there are too many gifts hoarded at home, and many foods and health products have not been eaten in time. Once they go bad, it would be a pity to throw them away. How to preserve them has become a big problem. Especially in summer, the weather is hot and the south is often accompanied by humid weather such as typhoons and rainstorms. If you don't use the correct method to preserve them, some expensive health products will be wasted. Today, let's teach you how to properly preserve Cordyceps sinensis.
The shelf life of Cordyceps sinensis is generally 2-3 years. The effective ingredients will decrease if the shelf life is too long.
Cordyceps sinensis can be preserved by normal drying methods and placed in a ventilated environment. This way it will not deteriorate or mold.
If it is too humid, you can consider packaging it in a sealed bag and storing it in the refrigerator.
The refrigerator temperature should be controlled at 1~5℃.
If consumers only buy a small amount of Cordyceps sinensis for future use, they can put it in a sealed glass bottle with Sichuan pepper or Cortex Moutan,
refrigerate it in the refrigerator, and take it out as needed.
The smell of Sichuan pepper has the effect of killing insects and sterilizing, which can help preserve it.
If it is found to be damp, it should be dried immediately.
For the preservation of large quantities of Cordyceps sinensis, oxygen removal preservation technology is often used, such as desiccants such as silica gel.
Studies have shown that Cordyceps sinensis preserved by oxygen removal will have good quality,
no insect damage, and no loss during the storage period of up to 2 years.
The deoxygenated preservation technology has many advantages.
Not only is the total crude protein content of Cordyceps sinensis high,
it is also non-toxic and harmless.
It can kill insects and sterilize quickly and thoroughly without affecting
the active ingredients and product quality of Cordyceps sinensis.
It is also convenient for storage and inspection, and is safe and powerful.
When the sun is shining, spread the bulk Cordyceps on the ground in a sunny spot to dry.
Then, gently pick up the Cordyceps (it is easy to break at this time),
put it into a plastic film bag (put an average of about 200 grams of Sichuan pepper at the bottom of every kilogram of Cordyceps), seal it,
place it in a cool and dry place.
In areas with a dry climate, check once every 30 days or so and dry the peppercorns in sufficient sunlight;
in areas with a humid climate, check once every 20 days or so and dry the peppercorns in sufficient sunlight.
Unpacked Cordyceps sinensis can be tightly wrapped with two layers of moisture-proof material (such as thick plastic bags)
and placed in a cool and dry place, such as the insulation layer of a refrigerator.
In this way, the impact on the quality of Cordyceps sinensis can be slowed down.
If there are insects, you can use charcoal fire to lightly roast them, and then sift out the insects and impurities.
It is important that Cordyceps sinensis should not be stored for too long, otherwise the medicinal effect will decrease.
Special reminder It is best not to store Cordyceps sinensis that has been opened or is not sealed well in the refrigerator. This will easily cause Cordyceps sinensis to get damp, and long-term dampness will reduce the quality of Cordyceps sinensis. Therefore, when storing Cordyceps sinensis, it must be stored in a sealed condition at a low temperature, with the temperature controlled at -1~5℃ and the moisture content of Cordyceps sinensis controlled at 3%~5%, generally not exceeding 8%.
Cordyceps sinensis is rich in protein and sugar, and is prone to mildew and insect infestation, especially in summer.
Moreover, cordyceps sinensis is a precious health product that is as expensive as gold.
If you don't want this "gold" to turn into a pile of stones,
it is particularly important to store and preserve it properly.
After reading this article, have you learned how to treasure the "gold" in your home?
References:
"Cordyceps Blue Book" compiled by Yang Changshui, Chen Yunchao, and Chen Wei.