Gibsons, BC, Canada—While not considered a mushroom by definition, chaga is a fungal byproduct that forms on birch trees (Betula spp.) as a response to infection by pathogenic fungus, Inonotus obliquus. Rich in antioxidants with immune and cardiovascular supporting properties, consumer awareness and demand for the sterile canker has increased, and so too have concerns for the quality control, mislabeling, and authenticity of chaga-based supplements, according to North American supplier of Certified Organic Functional Mushroom Extracts, Nammex. To help ease concerns, the latest research article from Nammex lays out the multi-analytical framework to identify authentic chaga canker and help determine the quality of its commercial dietary supplement products.
The Data
Published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Comparative Study of Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) Dietary Supplements Using Complementary Analytical Techniques takes a closer look at chaga and the distortion of mycelium fermented grain products as authentic chaga, in spite of their fundamental composition differences. According to the study, “[a]uthentic chaga canker was characterized by high melanin content, a high β-glucan to α-glucan ratio, and unique triterpenoid and phenolic profiles. In contrast, fermented grain products contained significant starch and α-glucans, lacked key triterpenoids, and exhibited metabolic profiles closely resembling their grain substrates rather than chaga canker. These findings emphasize a need for rigorous analytical verification to prevent misrepresentation in the marketplace.”
For this investigation, the Nammex scientific team identified critical chemical markers that distinguish wildcrafted chaga canker from both mycelium fermented grain products and pure mycelium. The study also exhibited the utility of robust analytical methods for authenticating fungal-based dietary supplements and detecting misrepresented products. A complete version of the chaga report is available here.
