Champignon (Agaricus bisporus)
known as the Button mushroom or Champignon, is one of the most popular and widely cultivated mushroom species in the world. Button mushrooms have several distinctive features that make them extremely valuable both in the food industry and in home kitchens.
Description
Cap: Young button mushrooms have closed, rounded caps that are usually white. As they mature, the caps open and the color may change to light brown or creamy.
Gills: The gills of young button mushrooms are white, but as the mushroom matures, they darken and can become dark brown or even black.
Stem: White, sturdy, with a free ring around the middle.
Nutritional value
Champignon mushrooms, commonly known as white button mushrooms, are low in calories and fat but rich in essential nutrients. Here's a concise breakdown of their nutritional value:
Protein: They are surprisingly good sources of protein, containing all nine essential amino acids, making them a complete protein source.
Vitamins: Champignon mushrooms are particularly rich in B vitamins, including riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), and biotin (B7), essential for energy metabolism and skin health.
Minerals: They provide minerals such as selenium, copper, potassium, and phosphorus, important for antioxidant defense, red blood cell formation, bone health, and muscle function.
Dietary Fiber: These mushrooms offer dietary fiber, aiding digestion and promoting a feeling of fullness, beneficial for weight management.
Antioxidants: Champignon mushrooms contain antioxidants like ergothioneine and selenium, which help combat oxidative stress and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Calories and Macronutrients:
One cup (96 grams) of whole white mushrooms provides approximately:
Calories: 21
Carbohydrates: 3 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
Protein: 3 grams
Fat: 0 grams
Champignon mycelium
Champignon mushroom hyphae are the thin, filamentous structures that make up the underground network of the mushroom. These hyphae are the primary means through which the mushroom absorbs nutrients from its environment, such as soil or organic matter. They play a vital role in decomposing organic material, facilitating nutrient uptake, and exchanging substances with neighboring organisms. In essence, champignon mushroom hyphae serve as the mushroom's essential infrastructure, supporting its growth, development, and interaction with its surroundings.
Champignon cultivation process
Spawn Preparation: Mushroom spawn, consisting of fungal mycelium inoculated onto a substrate, is prepared as the initial step.
Substrate Inoculation: The spawn is mixed with a nutrient-rich substrate, typically composted organic materials, to allow the mycelium to colonize and grow.
Spawn Run: The mycelium colonizes the substrate during this phase, breaking down organic matter and forming a network of hyphae.
Casing: A layer of casing material is added on top of the colonized substrate to provide a suitable microenvironment for mushroom formation.
Pinhead Formation: Under optimal conditions, pin-like structures known as pinheads begin to form on the surface of the casing layer.
Mushroom Development: The pinheads develop into mature mushrooms, with caps expanding and stems elongating.
Harvesting: Mushrooms are harvested at various stages of maturity by twisting or cutting them at the base of the stem.
Post-Harvest: After harvesting, the substrate may be recycled for future use, and proper post-harvest handling ensures quality and shelf life of harvested
The ORIGIN OF AGARICUS BISPORUS
A third-generation mushroom farmer or champignons, Angel Moioli has been working his underground farm for the last two decades. Despite the harsh competition from industrial mass producers which has led to the steady closures of the hundreds of Parisian mushroom farms, Monsieur Moioli certainly isn’t showing any sign of giving up. “I could produce cheap, perfectly shaped mushrooms without taste – but why would I do that?” he asks, horrified.
And indeed, he’s right to continue, as his ‘Champignons de Paris’ are some of the most sought-after edible fungi in the Île-de-France region, although sadly they’re also among the last of their kind…
Champignons de Paris – otherwise known as ‘button’ or ‘portobello’ mushrooms – have been big business for centuries. They were first cultivated in the capital and are now grown around the world. Although people have always eaten wild mushrooms, the turning point for the industry came in the 17th century, as a result of King Louis XIV’s taste for the then rare Champignon de Paris. Farmers in the region strove to please ‘Le Roi-Soleil’ by trying to find ways of cultivating as many of the precious mushrooms as possible.
Moioli, the keenest of champignonnistes, explains that the story of Champignons de Paris began with Paris quarry workers in the city’s catacombs or, more precisely, their horses. Standing outside the quarries, these hardy steeds would leave piles of manure in which champignons would grow, as a result of wild mushroom spores being blown over from nearby woodlands. When the workers realised that they could cultivate the fungi with relatively little effort, a more formal operation began. Unfortunately, harvesting was impossible through the cold winter months – until one day, when the tale has it that a certain Monsieur Chambry, who’s said to have been a farmer for the King, had the idea of bringing the piles of manure inside the quarries, where the temperature remained more or less constant throughout the year.
From that moment on, Champignons de Paris were able to grow year-around but it wasn’t until the 19th century, when cement became widely used and stone was no longer needed, that the catacombs were completely abandoned and were able to be replaced with dedicated mushroom farms, or champignonnières. By 1880 there were over 300 mushroom farms in Paris and their trade continued to flourish until the city’s Métro ne
