| Maitake have the ability to concentrate heavy metals from the environment, so mushrooms grown close to industry and densely populated areas can contain dangerous levels of lead, arsenic and mercury.
Mitoku's exclusive maitake supplier, Yukiguni Maitake Inc., in Nigata Prefecture, is Japan's largest producer of high quality maitake and maitake products. At their state-of-the-art facilities, Yukiguni produces over 200,000 pounds of high quality maitake a day!
The key to Yukiguni's success is their exclusive, high-tech cultivation process. Using only spores selected for their favorable genetic qualities, Yukiguni's technical staff inoculates sterile organic growing media consisting of sawdust, bran, water and micronutrients. Sprouting takes place in a controlled environment where each mushroom is grown separately to ensure the ideal conditions. No agricultural chemicals of any kind are used and independent laboratory analysis shows that Yukiguni maitake do not have any detectable amounts of lead, arsenic, or mercury.
At their peak of flavor and medicinal potency, Yukiguni maitake are harvested for culinary use or processed into several medicinal products. Yukiguni maitake are indeed the king of mushrooms, and they are used by Dr. Hiroki Namba, Japan's foremost maitake researcher. |
