Dried shiitake

Product overview of dried shiitake

Shiitake grown by partner farmers in Kyoto iscarefully dried at three temperature stagesinto a commercial material. Because it is sliced thick, it achievesa softer bite than ordinary dried shiitakeandconcentrated umami. It has little peculiarity even in dried form, and after rehydration a moist texture close to fresh shiitake returns, while the soaking liquid can be used as a fine dashi.

The shapes are"slice," "whole," and "stem only"in three types, and the cultivation method is also selectable from"log" or "sawdust bed". Matched to product concept and use, it is adopted in a wide range of businesses as a material for time-saving cooking, flavor enhancement, and both an ingredient and dashi source.

Features of Commercial Dried Shiitake

Product specifications

Customization support

Because shiitake's aroma and texture change with specification and cultivation method, we mass-produce after you decide the specification at the prototyping stage. The main items we can accommodate are as in the table below.

We also separately dry the stem portion produced during shiitake processing, and it can be used as a raw material for vegetable dashi. There are increasing cases of using it for vegetarian recipe development and as a base material for plant-based bouillon.

Commitments to variety, grower, and growing region

Dried shiitake is a raw material whose aroma, texture, and price change greatly depending on the cultivation method—log or sawdust bed. At Agriture, we support both cultivation methods and have arranged things so you can choose from the raw-material stage to suit the product concept.

* Reference:OYAOYA product page

Low-temperature drying technology and quality control

Shiitake drying is a process where, if you drive off moisture all at once at high heat, "dry surface, wet interior"—where only the surface hardens while moisture remains inside—easily occurs. At our company, by switching the temperature range across three stages—initial, middle, and finishing—we align the drying speed of surface and interior, adjusting the moisture value while keeping a fluffy, thick-fleshed feel.

Use cases and adoption examples

Dried shiitake is a raw material usable in many directions—in addition to the classic use as a dashi material, its presence as an ingredient and its veggie compatibility. We have organized scenarios of use by business type.

For Japanese and washoku cuisine

This is a use with a track record of adoption as OEM processed products and commercial ingredients for washoku specialty shops and traditional Japanese restaurants. Fresh shiitake poses procurement-management challenges of quality variation by origin and season and a short storage period, but with the dried product, bulk room-temperature storage and planned usage-volume management become possible. Because rehydrating slowly at low temperature draws out ample guanylic acid, we can respond not only to use as an ingredient for takikomi rice, simmered dishes, and chawanmushi, but also to product designs of noodle and prepared-food makers who want to use the soaking liquid as a plant-based umami base.

For processed and retort foods

This is a use frequently adopted by instant-food makers and prepared-food processors as an ingredient for cup noodles, freeze-dried soups, and retort prepared dishes. Fresh shiitake burdens the production site with post-harvest quality change and prep labor, but with dried slices, bulk room-temperature storage is possible, achieving stable procurement while stabilizing yield. Because it rehydrates uniformly just by pouring hot water, it also suits product development that requires texture design and recipe reproducibility.

Shojin cuisine and vegan-compatible menus

This is a use with spreading adoption at temple-affiliated eateries serving shojin cuisine and food makers advancing vegan and plant-based compatibility. Unlike fresh shiitake, the dried material allows bulk room-temperature inventory management, and because it can be used soaking liquid and all as a plant-based bouillon, it contributes to major simplification of the cooking process. The stem-only dried specification also accommodates ingredient development that makes the most of a meat-substitute texture, and can be considered as a differentiating material for OEM brands aiming for vegan certification.

Chinese and ethnic cuisine

It is adopted as a commercial material by makers producing steamed buns, chimaki, lu rou fan, and the like, and by restaurant chains developing Chinese and ethnic menus. Fresh shiitake varies easily in quality by origin and season, and prep and cutting steps lead to increased production-line labor, but the dried whole type allows stable stockpiling at room temperature and lets you move to uniform prep with only the rehydration work. Because it keeps a texture that resists breaking down even with heavy seasoning, it is easy to build in as a fixed differentiating material for stewed and filling-type products, and lot and size can be discussed to your requirements.

Pet food and additive-free food ingredient

This is a case adopted when pet-food makers and OEM brands make "Japanese-grown, additive-free" their differentiating axis. Fresh shiitake is high in moisture, raising storage and transport costs and premised on short-term consumption, but the dried product allows stable room-temperature storage and makes fixed-quantity dosing into production lines easier. We can also accommodate shape consultation such as slicing or grinding, and it can be considered from the small-lot trial stage as an ingredient for low-calorie recipes for senior dogs and cats or for umami-enhancing toppings.

Seasonings and dressings

Powdered shiitake is adopted by food makers and seasoning makers as a development material for clean-label seasonings and dressings that promote no chemical seasonings. Because it needs no moisture management compared with fresh shiitake and allows long-term room-temperature storage, it leads to stable supply to production lines and reduced blending loss. As a highly concentrated material that can draw out umami even with a small addition, it can be discussed as a raw-material cut-out in OEM development, from shio-koji- and soy-based seasonings to Japanese-style dressings.

Commercial usage and rehydration

Basics of rehydrating in water: Rehydrate the slice type in water for about 15–20 minutes, and the whole type in cold water for 5–8 hours as a guide. The rehydration ratio is about fivefold; a guide is roughly 50 g after rehydration per 10 g dry. Rehydrating slowly at low temperature efficiently draws out the guanylic-acid-derived umami components.

When using it as dashi: The soaking liquid can be used as-is as dashi. Combined with kombu for a second dashi, it has a track record of adoption in shojin cuisine and vegan-compatible menus.

Storage and handling after thawing: Unopened, room-temperature storage keeps for six months; after opening, seal it up and use it up within one to two months as a guide in cool, dark storage. When portioning from a large bag, we recommend adding a desiccant to avoid humidity.

Related cases and articles

• Vegetable Broth × Dried Vegetables to Boost Umami: Pro Tips on Use and Selection(OEM article)
• Learning the secrets to success and market strategy from overseas-expansion cases of dried goods(OEM article)
• How to Choose Dried Goods, Taught by a Pro | 5 Important Points and How to Tell Them Apart(OEM article)

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Yakuzen properties (for fresh shiitake)

In the world of yakuzen, shiitake issweet and neutral in nature, classified as a mushroom. Neutral nature means a gentle character that neither warms nor cools the body, characterized by being easy to incorporate for a wide range of people regardless of constitution. In traditional Chinese medicine it is positioned in the "qi-tonifying" category,helping the function of the stomach and intestines and supplementing qias an ingredient.

It is considered an ingredient long familiar to those concerned about "qi deficiency," such as being prone to fatigue or having a reduced appetite. Because dried shiitake especially increases in umami, it has long been used in simmered dishes, soups, and hot pots. Simply adding it to simmered dishes, soups, and hot pots spreads umami and yakuzen properties at once, with a background of being long enjoyed within Japanese food culture.

Shiitake's yakuzen workings are thought not to be greatly impaired even after drying. Because Agriture's dried shiitake is carefully dried at three temperature stages, the soaking liquid's umami and flavor are rich, and it can be used in a wide range of commercial applications—shojin cuisine, veggie-compatible menus, yakuzen soups, and more—as a yakuzen material that serves as both dashi and ingredient.

Recommended reading

• Vegetable Broth × Dried Vegetables to Boost Umami: Pro Tips on Use and Selection(OEM article)
• Learning the secrets to success and market strategy from overseas-expansion cases of dried goods(OEM article)
• How to Choose Dried Goods, Taught by a Pro | 5 Important Points and How to Tell Them Apart(OEM article)
• Shiitake powder