Organic Maitake (Grifola frondosa)

Maitake: Description and origin

Maitake, grifola or leafy polypore (Grifola frondosa (Dicks.) Gray) is a basidiomycetic fungus used as food as well as in traditional medicine in China and Japan¹. Large in size, maitake grows as a cluster of overlapping layers at the base of trunks or roots of oaks, elms and other trees. It is found in northeastern parts of Japan and also in temperate forests in Asia, Europe and eastern parts of North America².

Maitake: History

A mushroom used in the East for thousands of years, the scientific name of maitake (Grifola frondosa (Dicks.) Gray) refers to the griffin beast of Greek mythology – half lion, half eagle, while frondosa, means “leaf-like”. In Japanese, mai means to dance and take means mushroom (“dancing mushroom”), because its appearance resembles a butterfly dancing, and because it is said that when people found it they began to jump for joy. It is a very valuable mushroom and it is said that in feudal times it was worth its weight in silver².

Maitake: Composition

The maitake mushroom contains beta-glucans, a diverse group of high molecular weight polysaccharides that may constitute between 10-50% of its dry weight. It also contains 5’-nucleotidase, sphingosine ceramides (lipids), aminopeptidases (enzymes), fibre, proteins and microelements^{1, 3}.

Maitake: Our extract

Extract name: Dry extract of organic maitake standardised to contain 30% polysaccharides and 15% beta-glucans

Scientific name: Grifola frondosa (Dicks.) Gray.

Part used: Fruiting body