Flammulina filiformis

The enoki is a small mushroom.

It grows in big groups. It has a long stem.

Many people eat it in soup. It can grow in the dark. If it stays in the dark, it looks white. If it sees light, it looks brown.

You should always cook it before you eat it. It is a tasty food.

The enoki mushroom is a tasty food.

Many people in East Asia eat it. It is often used in soups. You can find it in China, Korea, and Japan.

Scientists used DNA sequencing to study this mushroom. This is a way to look at tiny parts of life. This work showed that enoki is a separate species. It is not the same as the European mushroom.

Enoki mushrooms grow in clusters. They have long stems called stipes.

The caps are small and smooth. If they grow in the dark, they look white. If they see light, they turn yellow or brown.

Farmers grow these mushrooms in big factories. They use things like sawdust or straw. The mushrooms like warm and moist air. They need cooler air to start growing fruit.

When you buy them, be careful. Their stems are very thin and delicate.

You should always cook enoki mushrooms. Do not eat them raw. This helps keep your food safe to eat.

The enoki mushroom is a tasty food found in East Asia.

Many people in China, Japan, and Korea enjoy eating them in soups or salads. These mushrooms belong to a group called agarics, which means they have gills under their caps. Scientists used DNA sequencing to study them. This is a way to look at tiny parts of life to see how things are related. This work proved that the enoki is a separate species from the European mushroom. It was first described as its own kind in 2015 based on these tiny details.

These mushrooms grow in clusters and have a very specific way they work. They have a long stem called a stipe and a small cap. The cap starts out round and then flattens as it grows. If the mushrooms grow in the dark, they turn white or very pale. This happens because they are not exposed to any light. If they do see light, they turn yellow or brown. The stems are smooth and can be pale yellow at the top. They turn dark brown near the bottom of the stem.

People have been growing these mushrooms for a very long time. In China, they have been cultivated since 800 AD. Today, they are grown in huge factories using machines. In 2010, China produced about 1.57 million tonnes of these mushrooms each year. Japan produced an extra 140,000 tonnes in that same year. Farmers grow them on simple things like sawdust or wheat straw. They use warm and moist air to help them start growing. Then, they use much cooler air to make the mushrooms pop out.

There are many interesting facts about what is inside an enoki mushroom. They are mostly water, which makes up 88% of them. They also have 8% carbohydrates and 3% protein. They are a great source of niacin and pantothenic acid. Scientists even study the leftover stems to make other things. They can add stem powder to meat to make it more tender. This powder also helps the meat stay fresh for a longer time. They can even use the leftovers as food for farm animals.

When you buy enoki mushrooms, you must handle them with care.

Their stems are very thin and can break easily. You should keep them in a cold place to stay fresh. It is important to always cook them before you eat them. This is because they can sometimes carry a germ called Listeria. Cooking the mushrooms makes them safe to eat. You can store them in the fridge for about one week. Just remember to keep them separate from other foods in your kitchen.

The enoki mushroom, known scientifically as *Flammulina filiformis*, is a species of agaric mushroom. An agaric is a type of fungus that features gills under its cap.

This mushroom is a major part of food culture in East Asia. It is a common ingredient in Japanese and Chinese cuisine. For a long time, scientists thought it was the same species as the European *Flammulina velutipes*. However, new DNA sequencing changed this view. DNA sequencing is a method used to look at the genetic code of an organism. This research proved that *F. filiformis* and *F. velutipes* are actually two distinct species. This distinction was officially recognized after the mushroom was described from China in 2015.

The physical structure of the mushroom is quite specific. They grow in clusters rather than as single stems. Each mushroom has a cap that starts as a convex, or rounded, shape. As the cap expands, it becomes flatter. The surface of the cap is smooth and can become viscid, which means sticky, when it is damp. The color of the cap ranges from ochraceous yellow to yellow-brown. Underneath the cap are the lamellae, which are the gills. These gills are cream or yellowish-white in color. Each mushroom also has a stipe, which is the scientific name for the stem. The stipe can be up to long and is smooth. It is pale yellow at the top, or apex, but turns yellow-brown or dark brown near the base. The mushroom produces a white spore print. The spores themselves are ellipsoid or cylindrical in shape.

There is a major difference between wild mushrooms and those grown in farms. In nature, *F. filiformis* grows on the dead wood of various broad-leaved trees. These include species like *Betula platyphylla* and *Salix* species. In cultivation, the environment is strictly controlled to change how the mushroom looks. Most enoki are grown in total darkness. This lack of light results in fruit bodies that are white or very pale. These cultivated mushrooms also have very long stipes and very small caps. If the mushrooms are exposed to light, they develop more normal features. They will have shorter stems and more color in their caps.

The history of growing these mushrooms is very long. People in China have been cultivating *F. filiformis* since 800 AD. Today, it is a massive global industry. In 2010, commercial production in China reached an estimated 1.57 million tonnes per year. Japan produced an additional 140,000 tonnes per year during that same time. Modern large-scale factories use mechanization to harvest over 300,000 tons of mushrooms annually. Farmers grow them on lignocellulosic substrates. These are materials made of plant parts, such as sawdust, wheat straw, or paddy straw.

The growing process follows a specific sequence of temperature and humidity changes. First, the fungus goes through an incubation phase. During this time, the substrate must be warm and moist, between 18 and 25 °C. Next, the mushroom needs a change to begin growing visible parts. This is called pinning. Pinning is triggered when the temperature drops to between 7 and 10 °C. The optimal temperature for the actual fruiting stage is between 10 and 16 °C. Humidity must also be very high. It stays between 95 and 100% during pinning and 85 to 95% during fruiting. When harvesting, it is best to pick them when the cap is still tightly closed.

Enoki mushrooms are also very nutritious. They are composed of 88% water, 8% carbohydrates, and 3% protein. They contain very little fat. In a standard reference amount, they provide 37 calories of energy. They are a rich source of niacin, providing 46% of the Daily Value (DV). They also provide 28% DV of pantothenic acid. Other nutrients include thiamine, riboflavin, folate, and potassium. Scientists are even studying how to use the leftover stem waste. Adding stem powder to meat can increase dietary fiber and ash content. This can make meat more tender and help it stay fresh longer.

Finally, there are important safety steps for handling and eating these mushrooms. Because they can be contaminated with *Listeria monocytogenes*, they should never be eaten raw. You must always cook them properly before eating. For storage, they should be kept in the cold. Optimal freshness is found at temperatures between 7 and 10 °C. If you are storing them for fewer than seven days, a temperature of 1 to 2 °C is advised. It is also important to keep uncooked mushrooms separate from other foods. This helps prevent cross-contamination and ensures food security.