Introduction: Black fungus is highly nutritious and inexpensive, making it an indispensable dish in daily household meals. However, a common problem that puzzles many consumers is the difficulty in distinguishing between genuine black fungus and counterfeit versions sold by dishonest vendors. Experts advise that to purchase high-quality black fungus, one must master a few key techniques, which can be summarized as "feel with your hands, taste with your mouth, and soak in water."
I. First, feel it with your hands. Pure black fungus contains less moisture and is easily crumbled when pinched. After releasing, the pieces will expand well and feel springy. In contrast, soaked black fungus has higher moisture content and is not easily crumbled.
II. Next, taste it. High-quality black fungus has a pure taste without any strange odors, and you can even taste a light, fresh aroma. Inferior black fungus, on the other hand, lacks any pleasant aroma and may have a strange or off-putting flavor. Regardless of its potential toxicity, it simply does not taste good.
III. You can also soak it in water. Inferior black fungus that has been treated with ink will have a foul odor, which can be detected upon careful sniffing. Furthermore, soaking is a necessary step when preparing black fungus. If the water used for soaking turns black, do not eat it. Authentic black fungus does not lose its color; if it does, it has been dyed with ink or other pigments.
Currently, some unscrupulous vendors are using cheap earth ears to pass them off as black fungus. While earth ears are similar in appearance, their nutritional value and taste are inferior to those of black fungus. Specifically, earth ears are larger and thicker than black fungus, with a reddish-brown front and a yellowish back. In contrast, black fungus is smaller and thinner, with a black front and a grayish-white back.