A relook at mushrooms

> Japanese brand Hokto hopes to change the way Malaysians see the humble fungi

AN INGREDIENT common in Japanese cuisine is mushroom, which is easily available at any supermarket in Malaysia. One brand in particular prides itself in cultivating the best Japanese mushrooms.

With the tagline ‘Makes Health Tastier’, Hokto was established in 1964. To date, the brand has 31 factory farms throughout Japan and Taiwan, which roll out about 3,000 tons of mushrooms yearly, as well as in California, which produce about 2,800 tons of mushrooms per year for US consumption.

Hokto Malaysia was established in October 2012. While waiting for its farm, which takes up six acres (2.43ha) of land at the Enstek Industrial Park in Negri Sembilan to be completed, it was importing mushrooms from Hokto Japan.

The factory farm was completed last July, and at full capacity, it can produce three tons of fresh mushrooms a day for Malaysians to enjoy.

Hokto Malaysia managing director Tadao Yamamoto ( below), who was at the recent Malaysian and Japanese Culinary Culture and Food Industry Networking Forum held at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, explained that Hokto Japan produces four types of mushrooms – king oyster, maitake, brown and white shimeji.

“We also have a new variety, which is a cross between king oyster and regular oyster mushrooms, that is currently available only in Japan because of its short shelf life of two weeks.”

He added that the farm here only grows two types of mushrooms – the brown and white shimeji.

Like all its other factory farms, the local Hokto mushroom facility is also fully automated with integrated agriculture technology from Japan.

Lighting, moisture levels and other mechanics including packaging, are all controlled and carried out by machines so there is minimal risk of contamination.

Starting from the warehouse storing the raw materials (mainly corncob and water), a machine mixes them before transporting them into an autoclave for sterilisation.

They are then cooled and seed fungi are cultured in the aseptic clean room by automation.

When the culture process is completed, the surface of the culture medium will be removed to activate the inner fungi which will begin sprouting at temperatures between 13°C and 15°C.

Once sprouted, the mushrooms are harvested and fresh-packed to be delivered.

The highly hygienic production means that consumers do not even need to wash or rinse the Hokto mushrooms before cooking.

Because the factory farm is fully automated, there are only 40 staff members running the facility, most of them being engineers and experts to manage and maintain the machines.

Yamamoto added: “It takes about 90 days from seeding to harvest, and the freshly harvested brown and white shimeji can last up to four weeks on the shelf.”

The mushrooms are not only for local consumption but are also exported to other Asean countries, mainly Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

“Brown shimeji mushrooms are free of cholesterol, low in calories, high in Vitamin B3 and contains lots of fibre,” said Yamamoto. “It can even be a substitute for meat, so it’s good for vegetarians.

“The white ones have pretty much the same nutritional value except that they are higher in Vitamin D and B2.”

He also revealed that Hokto Malaysia is aiming to expand and include a research and development team for the local plant to develop new mushroom varieties suited for Malaysians’ tastebuds within the next five years.

Hokto mushrooms are available at supermarkets and hypermarkets.