Emily Johnson
Extracting mushroom oil is a complex process that requires careful attention to detail and safety precautions. The extraction of mushroom oil is done to make the natural, beneficial compounds more readily available to our bodies. The process typically involves the use of solvents such as water, alcohol, or supercritical fluids like carbon dioxide, to isolate and concentrate the desired compounds from the mushroom's thick cell walls. The specific method chosen depends on the type of mushroom and the target compounds, with some mushrooms requiring more complex treatments than others. Traditional methods such as tea preparation and chewing have been practiced for centuries, while modern techniques like supercritical fluid extraction offer more efficient and controlled processes for therapeutic use.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Extraction Methods | Hot water, dual extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, acid-base extraction, ethyl alcohol extraction, tea preparation, chewing method |
| Purpose of Extraction | Make natural, beneficial compounds more readily available to our bodies |
| Raw Material | Mushrooms (fruiting bodies) |
| Solvents | Water, alcohol (ethanol), lemon juice, vinegar, carbon dioxide |
| Process | Cooking raw materials in hot water, soaking in alcohol, steeping in hot water, chewing and swallowing |
| Results | Liquid tincture, powder, concentrated extract |
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What You'll Learn
Hot water extraction
After the specified time, the leftover mushrooms are removed, and the mushroom-infused water is retained. This liquid now contains the extracted water-soluble compounds from the mushrooms. It is important to note that hot water extraction will not extract any non-water-soluble compounds, so if those compounds are desired, a different method or a dual extraction process should be used.
The mushroom-infused water can be used as a tincture or further processed into a powder. To make a tincture, the water can be left as is or combined with alcohol in a specific ratio, such as 3:1 (water to alcohol). This combination of hot water and alcohol creates a dual extraction, which provides a broader range of compounds than hot water extraction alone.
For powder extraction, the hot water-extracted mushroom paste is spread onto trays and dehydrated. This process removes the water content, leaving behind a powder that contains the extracted water-soluble compounds. This powder can then be encapsulated or used as an ingredient in various formulations.
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Alcohol extraction
To begin the alcohol extraction process, fill a jar halfway with dried, powdered mushrooms. You can use a coffee grinder to powder the dried mushrooms. Fill the jar with alcohol, ensuring the mushrooms are completely covered, but leaving a 0.5-inch space at the top of the jar. Place parchment paper between the jar and its lid to prevent the alcohol from corroding the lid. Leave the jar on the counter for two weeks to a month, shaking it daily. After this period, you will notice a change in the liquid's colour. This is due to the alcohol-soluble compounds suspended in the solution.
Once the alcohol extraction is complete, strain the mushroom-infused alcohol into another jar, retaining the mushroom solids. Set aside the alcohol extract and mushrooms while you prepare the water extraction. For the water extraction, place the jar with the ground or chopped mushrooms on a small plate in a pan. Pour hot water into the jar and loosely place the lid on top. Fill the pan around the jar with hot water and turn the hob on, ensuring the water does not boil. After two hours, filter the liquid through a cheesecloth and into a measuring jug. Now place the liquid into a clean empty pan on a low heat and allow it to reduce by around half. Once cool, add the water solution to the alcohol solution.
The alcohol percentage should be somewhere between 25% and 35%, making the dual extraction shelf-stable. The main benefit of alcohol extraction is that it can extract alcohol-soluble compounds, while the drawback is that it cannot extract water-soluble compounds. Therefore, a dual extraction method that utilises both hot water and alcohol may be preferable.
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Dual extraction
The first step in the dual extraction process is to fill a jar halfway with dried mushrooms. The mushrooms should be chopped or ground up, and the jar should be filled halfway to three-quarters full. Then, fill the jar with alcohol, ensuring that the mushrooms are completely covered, but leaving some space at the top of the jar. Vodka or 40% alcohol is typically used, and the alcohol percentage should be between 25% and 35%. Parchment paper should be placed between the jar and the lid to prevent the alcohol from corroding the lid. The jar should be stored in a dark place and shaken regularly, ideally once a day, for a month.
After a month, the alcohol-infused solution will change colour due to the alcohol-soluble compounds suspended in the solution. The solution is then poured through a filter fabric, such as a cheesecloth, into a measuring jug to separate the liquids from the solids. The fabric is squeezed to extract as much liquid as possible. The amount of alcohol in the measuring jug is measured, and then an equal amount of hot water is added to create the water extraction.
For the water extraction, a small plate is placed at the bottom of a pan to prevent the jar from cracking. The jar with the ground or chopped mushrooms is placed on the plate, and hot water is poured into the jar. The jar is loosely lidded, and the pan is filled with hot water no more than 3cm below the top of the jar. The water is heated for about 2 hours, and then the liquid is filtered through a cheesecloth into a measuring jug. The liquid is then placed into a clean pan on low heat and reduced by half. Once cool, the water solution is added to the alcohol solution. The final product is a mushroom dual extract that is shelf-stable.
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Supercritical fluid extraction
Mushrooms are a rich source of nutritional compounds, including fatty acids, carbohydrates, lycopene, sterols, and other valuable compounds. Traditional extraction methods, such as using organic solvents like n-hexane and methylene chloride, often come with drawbacks like high costs, low efficiency, and negative environmental impacts. To address these issues, advanced extraction methods such as supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) have been developed.
Additionally, Sc-CO2 extraction operates at mild temperature conditions, avoiding the thermal degradation or transformation of constituents. This preservation of heat-sensitive compounds is a notable advantage over traditional methods, which often require high processing temperatures. Furthermore, Sc-CO2 is a safe and environmentally friendly solvent, leaving no trace of itself in the extracted product. This is in contrast to organic solvents used in conventional methods, which can have detrimental effects on the environment and human health.
The process of supercritical fluid extraction involves optimizing various parameters, including pressure, temperature, and solvent flow rate, to achieve the desired extraction efficiency and yield. For instance, in the extraction of bioactive compounds from Lion's Mane mushroom by-products, the optimal conditions for SCFE-CO2 were found to be 46.38 °C, 100 bar, and an EtOH flow rate of 0.99 mL/min. This resulted in a maximum yield and the preservation of valuable compounds such as ergosterol, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity.
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Acid-base extraction
The acid-base extraction method is often compared to other techniques such as supercritical fluid extraction and butane hash oil (BHO) extraction. Supercritical fluid extraction uses supercritical fluids like carbon dioxide to selectively extract psilocybin while leaving behind undesirable compounds. On the other hand, BHO extraction, commonly used in the cannabis industry, may not be suitable for psilocybin extraction due to potential residue and contaminant issues.
It is important to note that the purity of psilocybin extracts is crucial, and proper purification and filtration methods are essential for safety and efficacy. The therapeutic potential of psilocybin extracts has been recognised, particularly in the treatment of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, addiction, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, it is still heavily regulated and restricted in many parts of the world.
Additionally, the use of acidic water in mushroom extraction has been explored in studies. While it may not extract melanin, acidic water has shown better performance compared to other solvents in terms of extracting polyphenolic compounds and contributing to overall antioxidant activity.
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Frequently asked questions
Mushroom extraction is the process of breaking down the thick chitin cell walls of mushrooms to make the natural, beneficial compounds more readily available to our bodies.
There are several methods of mushroom extraction, including hot water extraction, dual extraction, acid-base extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction.
Grind dry raw mushrooms into a coarse powder, add hot water, filter the liquid from the solids, and then concentrate the liquid filtrate into a powder using a vacuum.
First, follow the steps for hot water extraction. Then, add the leftover solids from the hot water extraction to a mixture of alcohol and water and cook for a set period of time. Finally, separate the liquid from the solids and add this liquid to the hot water extract.
