Blue ginger: why the mushroom turns blue and what to do

Mushrooms are rightly called royal mushrooms, as they are healthy, fragrant and look beautiful in conservation. But often inexperienced mushroom pickers are frightened that mushrooms turn blue on the cut and during salting. This phenomenon should not be feared, since this is a natural process that does not harm the human body.

Why do saffron mushrooms turn blue

Often mushroom pickers notice that mushrooms mushrooms begin to turn blue on the cut. They mistakenly believe that this process occurs only with poisonous specimens, and often pass by noble mushrooms. This is a misconception, as the bluing occurs as a result of oxidation when exposed to air. Mushroom pulp can change color not only to blue, but also to green, red or brown.

Why do mushrooms turn blue after picking

Before going for a forest harvest, you need to know the varietal characteristics, time and place of growth, as well as view the photo. Ryzhiki is a royal species that grows in dimly lit clearings, in spruce and pine young forests.

Red forest gifts are very difficult to confuse with other species, as they have a bright appearance. The cap is bright orange at a young age, has a hemispherical shape, straightens with age and forms a small depression in the center.

A flat surface has dark circles or spots, after rain it shines and becomes covered with mucus. The underside is formed by short, numerous plates, bright orange in color. The leg is short, fleshy, hollow inside. After mechanical damage, milky juice is released, and the cut becomes blue.

During mushroom hunting, inexperienced mushroom pickers are afraid that the mushrooms have turned blue. This reaction is due to a chemical process. Substances contained in the pulp, when combined with oxygen, cause a color change. Also, oxidation can cause a knife blade, as a result, the cut begins to quickly change color.

If, after picking mushrooms, mushrooms turn blue, then there are spruce species in the basket. Since pine species secrete milky juice, which, when interacting with air, stains the pulp in a greenish tint. Inexperienced mushroom pickers often believe that false doubles have been collected and dispose of them. This is a natural process, so blue forest gifts are ideal for salting.

Fruiting occurs from mid-August to the end of September. Often mushroom pickers follow mushrooms according to folk signs:

1. If raspberries, blueberries ripened in the forest and mushrooms of the second layer appeared, then in a month you can go hunting.
2. Where butterflies grew, red forest gifts appear in autumn.
3. During the flowering of heather, fruiting of mushrooms begins.

Why do mushrooms turn blue when salted

The royal look is a tasty, healthy specimen that can be used for frying, stewing, preparing salted and pickled preserves. But very often, when salting, the housewives notice that the mushrooms have turned blue. This chemical process can occur due to spices and spices, such as dill or its seeds. There is nothing dangerous in this, and the cooked dish does not pose a danger to the body.

Also, pickles can turn blue if the storage rules are not followed. They should be stored in a well-ventilated cool room at a temperature of + 8-10 °C. If the temperature is below normal, then the mushrooms freeze slightly and begin to crumble. At high temperatures, they will turn sour. If the brine evaporates, then salted boiled water is added to the container. If you follow simple storage rules, you can prevent the brine from turning blue.

What to do if the mushrooms turned blue

Before salting, the bluish mushrooms are sorted out, forest debris is removed, washed under running water and proceed to salting. So that the brine does not acquire a dark color, salting is carried out in enameled dishes, in barrels or glass jars. Other utensils can cause oxidation, causing the color of the brine to darken and become unattractive. Also, so that the brine does not change color, iodized salt is not used for salting and dill, its seeds and a large amount of spices are not added.

If, out of ignorance, a large amount of spices was used during salting, and the brine darkened, then washing the mushrooms and pouring them with freshly prepared brine will help correct the situation.

To prevent mushrooms from turning blue when soaked in boiling water, citric acid is added. But there are times when the preparatory process went according to all the rules, and the flesh of the mushrooms turned even blue. This can happen due to the long stay of the collected forest gifts under the sun’s rays and in the open air. Therefore, many mushroom pickers start salting in a dry way right in the forest.

So that a chemical reaction does not occur during the preparation of pickles, it is better to cook the dish in glass, portioned jars. Also, so that blueing does not occur, and the crop looks beautiful in conservation, it can be pickled. But to get a clear brine when boiling mushrooms, add a pinch of citric acid or juice of ½ lemon to the water.

Salted and pickled mushrooms are stored in an airtight container in a cool room for no more than 12 months. With a sharp darkening of the brine and the appearance of black mold, the preservation is thrown away, as it can cause irreparable harm to the body.

Conclusion

If, during a mushroom hunt, you come across a clearing of mushrooms, you can quickly pick up a whole basket. But often mushroom pickers notice that mushrooms turn blue on the cut, and after mechanical damage, milky juice is released. You should not be afraid of this reaction, since this mechanical process is natural and does not affect the taste, useful properties and aroma in any way.