I listened to a Paul Stamets talk where he shortly mentioned he freeze-dried Amanita.
Since I don't have a dehydrator yet and my Amanitas are currently being dried with the use of a heater and a fan I wondered if that is a legit method?
Would certainly be much easier for me. I couldn't find much online if ibotenic-acid is being converted to muscimol by this method or if that is just during decarboxylation with heat.
Would love to hear your thought and/or experiences.
Peace & Love
Freeze-drying Amanita?
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UrsusSapiens
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Re: Freeze-drying Amanita?
Hi ICY!
Please discriminate between "making the mushroom storable" and "converting ibotenic acid to muscimol". Drying and freeze-drying MAINLY makes the mushrooms storable (with the caveat that drying above 70 degree celsisus DO convert a small part of the ibotenic acid into muscimol, but not very reliably).
Methods for converting ibotenic acid into muscimol are : simmering/solving the mushrooms in an acidic solution (like lemon juice; citric acid solution etc.) or making a water extract of the mushroom with the addition of DMSO. According to my sources BOTH should do the trick of converting ibotenic acid to muscimol.
So if you want to freeze-dry your mushrooms to give them a longer shelf life - that will probably work. But there will be no chemical conversion.
Please discriminate between "making the mushroom storable" and "converting ibotenic acid to muscimol". Drying and freeze-drying MAINLY makes the mushrooms storable (with the caveat that drying above 70 degree celsisus DO convert a small part of the ibotenic acid into muscimol, but not very reliably).
Methods for converting ibotenic acid into muscimol are : simmering/solving the mushrooms in an acidic solution (like lemon juice; citric acid solution etc.) or making a water extract of the mushroom with the addition of DMSO. According to my sources BOTH should do the trick of converting ibotenic acid to muscimol.
So if you want to freeze-dry your mushrooms to give them a longer shelf life - that will probably work. But there will be no chemical conversion.
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