Q: Can you eat the Shiitake-Ya™ Gourmet Mushroom Blend raw?

A: No. Please cook the mushrooms thoroughly. This is for at least two reasons:

1. Unlike some foods that are most potent when consumed raw, mushrooms - such as the ones used in our blend - require heat for their nutritional content to be released and made bioavailable. Keep in mind that the mushrooms in our blend are not the common button mushrooms that people will often eat raw with their salads. Ours are gourmet, quite rare, and even medicinal, so they need to be prepared and cooked accordingly.

2. In particular, the morel mushrooms in our blend MUST be cooked thoroughly with heat. Please do not eat the morels raw, as this will cause digestive disorders resulting in severe nausea and vomiting. The reason is that while morels are wonderfully nutritious, they contain a naturally-occurring toxin while in their raw, wild state; however, when cooked well, this toxin becomes easily dispelled. If in doubt, try cooking them for a good 15 minutes on high heat.


Q: I prepared your dried mushrooms as directed on the package. However, it was chewier than I expected. What should I do?

A: To ensure softer texture, please try one or a combination of the following:

1... Rehydrate in hot/boiled water for about 20-30 minutes, preferably with a lid so all the mushrooms reconstitute while thoroughly immersed in water. Then rinse in cool water until mushrooms are no longer too hot to touch, squeeze out excess liquid, and remove stems, which are usually the cause for extra chewiness.

2... Mince mushrooms by hand or in a food processor.

3... Prolong cooking time.

When our product still does not meet your satisfaction after extra rehydration and cooking procedures, the retailer may accept the return or exchange of your purchase.


Q: What is the shelf life of your dried mushrooms?

A: We suggest that our mushrooms be consumed no later than one year from the "SELL BY" date on the package or the date you purchased them.


Q: What is the best way to store dried mushrooms?

A: Our Shiitake Slices come in a durable resealable bag, which should keep your dried shiitake fresh and useable. Please store the jar in a cool, dark, clean area, away from direct sunlight, with its lid tightly closed. Another option is to freeze the dried mushrooms inside a tightly-closed ziplock bag (or vacuum-sealed pouch, if you have the equipment) to ensure prolonged freshness.


Q: What is the equivalent amount of dried shiitake to fresh shiitake?

A: With our newest drying techniques, the ratio of dried shiitake to fresh shiitake is minimum 1:3.


Q: Where do your dried mushrooms originate from?

A: Our mushrooms originate from a variety of mushroom farms around the U.S. as well as around the world depending on months and seasons as indicated on the package. While the countries of origin may differ, they are always grown in pristine mountainous regions with our company's high standards for quality, hygiene, and ecological responsibility. Although we are not officially certified organic (in-process), we never use any pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers or sprays of any kind in the growing of our mushrooms since our mushrooms are all natural and wild-harvested.


Q: What is the expiration date for Shiitake-Ya™ Products?

A: We officially suggest that our dried mushrooms be consumed no later than one year from the "SELL BY" date on the package or the date you purchased them. After that period, we are no longer liable for their product quality.