Dried Shiitake mushrooms

At Petrichor Foods EU, we offer premium dried shiitake mushrooms, a staple of Asian cuisine and an emerging favorite in Western markets. Known for their meaty texture and umami depth, shiitakes elevate soups, sauces, and gourmet dishes alike.

Shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) are native to East Asia, where they have been cultivated for more than 1,000 years. Originating in the forests of China and Japan, they spread globally in the 20th century and are now cultivated across Asia, Europe, and North America.

They are one of the most popular edible mushrooms worldwide, prized for their rich umami flavor and numerous health benefits.

Shiitake mushrooms naturally grow on decaying hardwood trees, particularly oak and chestnut. Modern cultivation uses logs or sawdust substrate blocks. It usually takes 6–18 months for logs to begin fruiting, while sawdust cultivation can produce harvests in 3–4 months.

Mushrooms are handpicked once the caps are partially to fully opened, typically when they reach 4–10 cm in diameter. Harvest occurs in flushes (cycles), often several times a year depending on the growing system.

For drying, shiitake mushrooms are carefully cleaned and dehydrated, either by:

• Sun-drying (traditional, enhances aroma)
• Hot-air drying (controlled, hygienic, consistent quality)

After drying, mushrooms retain their strong aromatic profile and are packaged for long-term storage.

• Energy: ~296 kcal
• Protein: 9–10 g
• Carbohydrates: 75 g
• Fiber: 11 g
• Fat: 1 g
• Rich in B vitamins, selenium, copper, zinc, and polysaccharides (lentinan).

Dried shiitake mushrooms are typically graded by cap size, thickness, and quality:

• Donko (thick, flower-patterned caps) – premium quality
• Koshin (larger, thinner caps) – economical, widely available