Identification
Brown cap with white veil flecks, white gills, firm flesh. One of the world's most cultivated mushrooms; wild on hardwoods in East Asia.
Edibility and research
A staple edible; lentinan (a beta-glucan) is used in Japan as an approved adjuvant injection in gastric-cancer therapy — one of the few fungal preparations with that status.
A real caveat — shiitake dermatitis
Raw or undercooked shiitake can cause a documented whip-like skin eruption ("shiitake dermatitis," case series in dermatology journals) from lentinan sensitivity — cooking prevents it.
In practice
- Cook thoroughly; culinary use is safe and well studied.