EP0532581A1 - The production of mushrooms - Google Patents
The production of mushroomsInfo
- Publication number
- EP0532581A1 EP0532581A1 EP91910433A EP91910433A EP0532581A1 EP 0532581 A1 EP0532581 A1 EP 0532581A1 EP 91910433 A EP91910433 A EP 91910433A EP 91910433 A EP91910433 A EP 91910433A EP 0532581 A1 EP0532581 A1 EP 0532581A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- growth
- mushrooms
- support medium
- fungi
- container
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
- A01G18/00—Cultivation of mushrooms
- A01G18/60—Cultivation rooms; Equipment therefor
- A01G18/64—Cultivation containers; Lids therefor
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
- A01G18/00—Cultivation of mushrooms
- A01G18/20—Culture media, e.g. compost
Definitions
- This invention relates to improvements in the production of mushrooms, and to a vendible product therefrom.
- This method of selecting and picking each mushroom individually requires much effort and time from the picker and can mean that only a few mushrooms are picked and handled each time.
- Hand harvesting requires a considerable time for assessment and picking, just to procure one harvest from that tray.
- a tray may be picked over many times before it is exhausted, usually grading the mushrooms at the same time often into as many as four to six different specifications. The picked mushrooms meanwhile must then be packaged and transported whilst fresh to the wholesaler, supermarket or other purchaser.
- I provide a method of growing and providing for sale edible fungi e.g. mushrooms in which the fungi grow from a mycelial growth layer into and are supported by a covering layer of growth support medium, wherein a portion of edible fungi in contact with their growth support medium is separated from the bulk or remainder of the growing fungi and growth support medium.
- edible fungi e.g. mushrooms
- the fungi grow from a mycelial growth layer into and are supported by a covering layer of growth support medium, wherein a portion of edible fungi in contact with their growth support medium is separated from the bulk or remainder of the growing fungi and growth support medium.
- the layer of growth support medium may be provided by or in a, or a plurality of, block(s) or generally tray-like mycelium-filament pervious container(s) whereby the edible fungi, e.g. mushrooms grow in the support medium comprising the block(s) or in the container(s) .
- all or part of the growth support medium layer can be regarded as divided up rather than being in one continuous layer above a conventional mycelial layer. In this manner, one advantage of the invention is that a portion of fungi in contact with its growth support medium is readily separable from the bulk or remainder of the growing fungi and growth support medium.
- that part of the growth support medium layer not in the container(s) may be used to form an intermediate layer, between the mycelial growth layer and the container(s) .
- a vendible pack of edible fungi e.g. mushrooms comprising the fungi supported in the medium that has been used to support their fructification and growth.
- Such a pack will desirably have the growth support medium supported in or surrounded by a, or a plurality of, generally tray-like container(s) .
- I provide a method of providing a vendible pack of edible fungi e.g. mushrooms as described above which comprises growing the fungi in generally conventional manner and severing a portion of the growth support medium of desired size containing the fungi from the bulk of the growing medium, and packaging it for sale with the fungi supported in the said portion of the growth support medium.
- a vendible pack of edible fungi e.g. mushrooms as described above which comprises growing the fungi in generally conventional manner and severing a portion of the growth support medium of desired size containing the fungi from the bulk of the growing medium, and packaging it for sale with the fungi supported in the said portion of the growth support medium.
- the portion of growth support medium to be severed will be provided in a or a plurality of tray-like mycelium- pervious containers and the mycelium filaments or strands will be severed below the container.
- This method provides an easily portable, readily wrappable unit that can be attractively presented to the ultimate consumer.
- fungi is used herein to include any cultivable edible fungal fruiting bodies which grow from a casing, preferably edible mushrooms.
- mycelium-filament pervious used herein in the context of a container describes any container wherein the base thereof may be open, perforated or punctured, or a netting, web or textiled material with or without support, which can be pierced by a mycelium filament(s) to produce a fruit body in the course of the natural growth development.
- a container having a base which is perforated with a plurality of apertures is used. It would in fact be possible to have no form of base but have merely a tray or frame-or belt ⁇ like surround since the mycelial growth helps knit the growth support medium together and provides the medium at what would*be base depth with sufficient integrity for ultimate severing and removal.
- This integrity can, if desired, be enhanced by addition of a binding material, e.g. rockwool filament.
- a binding material e.g. rockwool filament.
- the term 'container' is therefore used herein to include also a frame-like enclosure with a predominantly open base or even a belt simply surrounding all or a portion of the growth support medium.
- the mycelial growth layer is laid down in a conventional manner e.g. as a base layer in one large rack. Directly on top of this layer are placed a plurality of adjacent separate tray-like containers, preferably of moulded plastic or folded expanded polystyrene and the like, each of which has a generally flat perforated base and contains an adequate depth of growth support medium.
- the mycelial filaments are allowed to grow under conventional conditions for growing mushrooms e.g. under conditions of normal mushroom culture, such as are readily known in the trade, whereby the mycelial strands or filaments grow normally, up through the bases of the containers and through the growth support medium where they fruit into mushrooms.
- a layer of the growth support medium is laid down directly on top of the mycelial growth layer, and further growth support medium is then divided into the containers which are for growth of the fungi, and which are situated on top of the growth support medium layer.
- one or more blocks of growth support medium of sufficient integrity may simply rest on the mycelium growth layer, optionally with a mycelium-filament pervious support between the medium and growth layer.
- the integrity desired may be established by simple experimentation and created, as above, by use of a suitable binding material, e.g. rockwool.
- the exercise of my invention allows the commercial producer to remove and sell one portion or container (as herein defined) at a time.
- a defined portion or container is considered ready to be removed, e.g. there is a sufficient number of mushrooms of the desired size or spread of sizes in the area defined by the portion, or the container, to make it practical and viable to harvest that portion or whole container
- the producer simply severs all the mycelium strands or filaments below the portion or base of the container or frame which extends into the container, using a tool which is practical for this purpose, e.g. a knife, spatula or other suitably-sized cutting tool or, in certain circumstances, simply by lifting.
- the isolated container can then simply be packaged, wrapped if desired, or sold as such.
- the remaining containers are left until they are ready for removal in a similar manner.
- portions or containers are distinct from one another, the isolation of one does not affect the continuing development of the mushrooms in the adjacent portions or containers, or the removal thereof.
- the producer has thus eliminated the effort in selecting, picking and grading individual mushrooms.
- the portion or container can then be packaged or wrapped ready for sale, or the container can be designed to be sold as such in a place of purchase, e.g. a supermarket or greengrocer's shelf without further manipulation.
- the vendible pack e.g. the packaged portion or the container, may also add to the freshness of the mushrooms therein because they are still in contact with their growth support medium until ultimately picked by the user. Furthermore, the purchaser of such a pack also has the ability to choose for himself when to pick each mushroom from the pack, thereby giving himself a greater degree of choice and control over the selection of mushrooms he purchases and uses.
- the fungi e.g. mushrooms can be presented to the consumer untouched by human hand and undamaged by mechanical harvesting. Mushroom crops occur in flushes of approximately weekly cycles, usually three to five in number to comprise the harvesting period. The portions or containers may therefore be replaced for as many flushes as are considered commercial. Further growth support medium and/or containers may be added before harvesting the remaining portions or containers. The flushing time/cycle may be longer than normal.
- the commercial grower then only has to clear away the residual mycelial layer and any growth support medium layer lying on top of it before relaying a fresh layer and placing further growth support medium on top. This saves in terms both of time and expense.
- each portion or container depends on the dimensions of the tray or rack which supports the mycelial layer and the spacing decided upon.
- each portion or container is of a size which can be handled by one person when removed, more preferably, a size which can be handled by one human hand, though of course a range of sizes could be provided.
- a number of containers may be collectively held in a holder, such that that number of containers in the holder may be added or removed from the mycelium growth layer together.
- the containers may of course be of any shape that is suitable.
- FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of an apparatus designed to allow the method of the present invention to be carried out.
- Fig. 2 is a perspective view of another apparatus designed to allow the method of the present invention to be carried out.
- a conventional rack 2 containing a conventional mycelial growth layer 4 of compost and mycelial inoculum.
- a conventional growth support medium or casing 6 e.g. of peat, chalk, water and further mycelial inoculum covers the mycelial layer 4 within a plurality of tray-like moulded plastic containers 8 each of which has a perforated base 10.
- Each container is approximately rectangular, of size about 125 x 100 x 30 mm, and approximately half full with the growth support medium 6.
- the whole apparatus is situated in an environment where conventionally desired growth conditions, e.g. of temperature, humidity, lighting, air flow and oxygenation can be generated.
- growth conditions e.g. of temperature, humidity, lighting, air flow and oxygenation
- a vendible pack of mushrooms is produced by severing all the mycelium filaments or strands 12 between the mycelial layer 4 and the base of the container 10 either using a spatula or not when it is desired to remove the container 8, and transferring the 'ready' container 8 to its place of packaging and purchase.
- the rack 2 and mycelial growth layer 4 are the same as described for Figure 1 above.
- a conventional growth support medium or casing 6 as described for Figure 1 above is within a plurality of belt-like or frame-like containers 16 which have no base.
- the container between container “A” and container “B” has been removed (in a manner similar to that described above for Figure 1) and is ready for packaging and/or wrapping.
- the area vacated by the removed container may now be filled by a fresh container 16.
Abstract
Procédé de culture et de préparation à la vente des champignons comestibles, selon lequel les champignons poussent à partir d'une couche de croissance mycéliale et traversent une couche de recouvrement constituée d'un milieu stimulateur de croissance qui les soutient, puis une partie des champignons comestibles se trouvant en contact avec ce milieu stimulateur de croissance se sépare de la masse ou du reste des champignons poussants et dudit milieu. On a également mis au point un appareil de mise en oeuvre de ce procédé, ainsi qu'un paquet commercialisable de champignons créé à l'aide de ce procédé.Method for growing and preparing edible mushrooms for sale, according to which the mushrooms grow from a layer of mycelial growth and pass through a covering layer consisting of a growth-stimulating medium which supports them, then part of the mushrooms edible being in contact with this growth stimulating medium separates from the mass or the rest of the growing fungi and said medium. An apparatus for implementing this method has also been developed, as well as a marketable package of mushrooms created using this method.
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB909012414A GB9012414D0 (en) | 1990-06-04 | 1990-06-04 | Improvements relating to the production of mushrooms |
GB9012414 | 1990-06-04 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0532581A1 true EP0532581A1 (en) | 1993-03-24 |
Family
ID=10677030
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP91910433A Withdrawn EP0532581A1 (en) | 1990-06-04 | 1991-06-04 | The production of mushrooms |
Country Status (7)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0532581A1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU7986391A (en) |
CA (1) | CA2084506A1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB9012414D0 (en) |
IE (1) | IE911893A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO1991018498A1 (en) |
ZA (1) | ZA914237B (en) |
Families Citing this family (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
AU2003202464A1 (en) * | 2002-02-18 | 2003-09-04 | Ferenc Meszaros | Process for mushroom cultivation and the storage device used in the method |
NL1029998C2 (en) * | 2005-09-21 | 2007-03-22 | Dutch Trading Office B V | Method for transporting mushroom compost. |
NL1037183C2 (en) * | 2009-08-07 | 2011-02-08 | Verdellen Beheer B V | New method in commercial mushroom harvesting. |
BE1020875A4 (en) | 2013-06-28 | 2014-06-03 | Archiduc Usil Bvba | HOLDER AND METHOD FOR COMMERCIAL GROWING, STORAGE, TRANSPORTATION AND / OR SALE OF MUSHROOMS. |
Family Cites Families (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CH220452A (en) * | 1941-11-10 | 1942-04-15 | Zimmermann Robert | Mushroom growing facility. |
US3242614A (en) * | 1963-12-09 | 1966-03-29 | Mushroom Supply Co | Mushroom growing arrangement |
US4192097A (en) * | 1975-04-25 | 1980-03-11 | Smith Walton J | Horticultural improvements |
FR2443798A1 (en) * | 1978-12-14 | 1980-07-11 | Lacour Roger | Cultivating and harvesting mushrooms on spawned compost bed - topped with harvesting grill(s) and covering layer of soil or sand |
NL8302818A (en) * | 1983-08-11 | 1985-03-01 | Schulte & Lestraden Bv | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HARVESTING MUSHROOMS. |
FR2603767B3 (en) * | 1986-09-17 | 1988-11-10 | Gillard Philippe | PROCESS FOR GROWING MUSHROOMS ON A MYCELIUM-SEEDED COMPOST AND COVERED WITH MATERIAL CAPABLE OF PROMOTING MYCELIUM FRUCTIFICATION |
-
1990
- 1990-06-04 GB GB909012414A patent/GB9012414D0/en active Pending
-
1991
- 1991-06-04 EP EP91910433A patent/EP0532581A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1991-06-04 IE IE189391A patent/IE911893A1/en unknown
- 1991-06-04 AU AU79863/91A patent/AU7986391A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1991-06-04 WO PCT/GB1991/000886 patent/WO1991018498A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1991-06-04 CA CA002084506A patent/CA2084506A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1991-06-04 ZA ZA914237A patent/ZA914237B/en unknown
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
See references of WO9118498A1 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
ZA914237B (en) | 1992-10-28 |
AU7986391A (en) | 1991-12-31 |
GB9012414D0 (en) | 1990-07-25 |
CA2084506A1 (en) | 1991-12-05 |
WO1991018498A1 (en) | 1991-12-12 |
IE911893A1 (en) | 1991-12-04 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
|
17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 19921128 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: A1 Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IT LI LU NL SE |
|
17Q | First examination report despatched |
Effective date: 19940210 |
|
RAP1 | Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred) |
Owner name: WILLIAM LORD (LEEDS) LIMITED |
|
GRAG | Despatch of communication of intention to grant |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS AGRA |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN |
|
18D | Application deemed to be withdrawn |
Effective date: 19980103 |