Know in one minute about Russula xerampelina
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Introduction
Russula xerampelina is the best edible mushroom of its genus, widely distributed in North Europe and North America. It grows in groups with conifers or solitary, appearing in the autumn. Occurs in pine and mixed coniferous forests and sometimes in broadleaf woodlands (1).
The main characteristic of this mushroom is its odour which is similar to shrimp or fish. It has yellow–brown to brown staining on the stem flesh and on the gills. When iron salts (iron (II) sulfate) are applied on the stem surface and flesh it gives the green to grey-grey or olive colour reaction and smell of shellfish, this smell becomes stronger. It is mycorrhizal with conifers (2).
Classification
| Kingdom | Fungi |
| Division | Basidiomycota |
| Class | Agaricomycetes |
| Order | Russulales |
| Family | Russulaceae |
| Genus | Russula |
| Species | R. xerampelina |
Common name
Russula xerampelina is commonly known as Crab brittlegill, shrimp mushroom, shrimp Russula and shellfish-scented Russula.
Another mushroom of the Russulaceae family is Russula cyanoxantha.
Synonyms
Russula erythropoda
Russula erythropus pelt
Agaricus xermpelina Schaeff
Russula xerampelina var. erythropus (Fr.) Kuhner Romagn
Russula erythropus var ochraceus J. Blum
Appearance
1. Cap
Cap is smooth and wine-red, purple to green, brown or ochre in colour dark toward the centre of the cap. Irregularly convex in shape with a central depression and striate margin. 7 to 15 cm in size (1). The fresh cap is sticky.
2. Gills
Gills are mild to bitter in taste, crowded, closed or narrowly spaced. White to creamy at first but by maturity, it turns creamy to yellowish or orangish-yellow. Bruising leads to discolouration (yellow-brown to brown) (2).
3. Stem
Stem is dry and smooth, 4 to 10 cm long and 1-3 cm in diameter. White or reddish in colour, when bruised it gets discoloured to brown. Cylindrical in shape, sometimes with a slightly clavate base (1).
4. Spore
Spores are ellipsoidal and 8-11 x 6.5–8 μm, covered with 1μm spines. Pileocystidia is present (2).
5. Spore print
The spore print is creamy to yellowish or orangish-yellow in colour.
6. Flesh
The flesh is white but gets discoloured because of bruising.
7. Odour
Fish-like or shrimp-like.
8. Habitat
pine and mixed coniferous forests of North America and northern Europe.
9. Taste
Mild in taste
Note: Russula xerampelina looks similar to Russula aeruginea and Russula emetica (sickener), but Russula xerampelina can easily be differentiated from these mushrooms by its shellfish or shrimp-like odour, which is not found in them. Russula emetica ( sickener) may cause nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and lead to diarrhoea.
Bioactive compound
This mushroom contains very useful compounds such as phenolics, flavonoids, ergosterol and β- carotene, polysaccharides vitamins etc., which effectively show health benefits (1).
These mushrooms are also famous for their carbohydrate content and are also having low calories thus is a good weight-loss mushroom. The main organic acids in this mushroom are sugar like mannitol and acids like quinic and malic acids (3).
Nutritional value
Russula xerampelina is a good source of protein and carbohydrates. The protein content is 5.33-8.41 g/100g and the carbohydrate content is 1.27-3.15 g/100g. The fat content is low 0.28-0.66 g/100g.
Medicinal benefits
Russula xerampelina shows antioxidant activity toward free radicals that damages the cells (1).
Also, the extract of this mushroom is having antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity for plasmodium falciparum and inhibited the growth of plasmodium falciparum, which is one of the causative agents of malaria.
Russula xerampelina benefits
1. Antioxidant activity
The extract of Russula xerampelina contains many useful bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds and flavonoids that show antioxidant activity and protects the cells from damage caused by free radicals (4).
2. Cytotoxicity activity
The extract of Russula xerampelina shows cytotoxicity activity toward many tumorous cells by terminating or inhibiting the cell division and its proliferation which leads to the shrinking of the cell (1). Russula xerampelina also shows inhibitory effects on the growth of plasmodium falciparum, which is a malaria parasite.
3. Anti-microbial activity
Russula xerampelina extract shows anti-microbial activity that inhibits the growth of certain bacteria or other pathogens.
4. Prevent Malaria
The extract of this mushroom Russula xerampelina shows an inhibitory effect on the growth of Plasmodium falciparum, a pyrimethamine-resistant malarial parasite. Thus this mushroom is helpful in preventing malaria. This property of this mushroom is because of the presence of the bioactive compound quinine (5).
Side effects
There is no certain side effect of Russula xerampelina but do not confuse it with Russula aeruginea and Russula emetica while picking it for eating.
How to eat/ edibility
Russula xerampelina is mild in taste. It is considered one of the best edible mushrooms. The young cap can be used as stuffing with any suitable ingredients.
Russula xerampelina simple soup recipe
The soup of this Crab brittlegill is very easy to make, it is not only delicious but also rich in nutrients.
Ingredients
200 gm of Crab brittlegill
2 tablespoons butter
Bay leaf
1 small onion
2 – 3 pieces of garlic
1 tablespoon flour
Black pepper
Salt
1 cup water
Method
First, clean the mushroom well and cut them into small pieces. In a saucepan put 2 tablespoons of butter and heat it at low flame, as the butter melts add a bay leaf and saute it for 3-4 seconds.
Now add finely chopped onion and garlic, mix it well and cook it at low flame until the onion turns soft. Add the pieces of mushroom to the pan, mix it well and cook it for 5-10 minutes or until the mushroom turns brown. Then add one tablespoon of flour (all-purpose flour), mix it properly and now a pinch of black pepper and salt (as per taste).
Now add one cup of water stir and mix it well, Cook it for 10 minutes. Now turn the flame off and grind the mixture well. And again put this mixture in a pan add some 1 cup of cream, mix it well and cooked it for 3–5 minutes.
The delicious and healthy Crab brittlegill mushroom soup is ready, garnished with some coriander leaves and served.
Written By: Neetu Ladiya