Where We Source Our Mushroom Extracts From

We’re often asked where our mushrooms are grown and the answer is China (mostly, our Chaga is wild-harvested in Siberia). For many people that aren’t familiar with medicinal mushrooms, this elicits a negative reaction.

Given China’s reputation for a production style that emphasises quantity over quality, this is a reasonable reaction; however, when it comes to producing medicinal mushrooms, our opinion is that China produces the best in the world and we should celebrate the fact that our mushrooms are cultivated there.

Why China? The Case for Quality Mushroom Cultivation

There are a couple of reasons why we are proud to source our mushrooms from China, described in more detail below.

Of the thousands of known varieties of mushrooms in the world, only 25 are allowed to be cultivated or imported fresh here - the rest are restricted under the 1996 Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act and can only be imported in powdered form. Of the medicinal mushroom extracts we supply, only Turkey Tail and Pekepeke-kiore (NZ Lion's Mane) are allowed to be cultivated here in NZ.

Comparing Global Cultivation Practices

There is some commercial production of medicinal mushrooms in the United States and Europe; however, growers in these countries often use controlled indoor environments using artificial substrates such as grain to produce mycelium-based extracts, in order to maximize output and consistency.

Traditional vs. Modern Methods

• China’s Traditional Methods: Cultivation of medicinal mushrooms in China and other parts of Asia has been going on for thousands of years, and growers tend to be small-scale operations that utilise natural substrates such as wood in environments that more closely resemble wild conditions.
• Modern Western Methods: This doesn't mean that all mushrooms grown in China are high quality, careful sourcing and testing of the products is required to ensure purity.

Our Commitment to Quality: Organic and Tested

We source our mushrooms from certified organic farms in China that practice Di Dao growing techniques (grown in its natural habitat). We believe this more traditional method of cultivation results in a superior product, and our third-party testing of beta-glucan content backs this up.

Ensuring Purity and Potency

• Third-Party Testing: We also test our products for pesticides, heavy metals, and microbials to ensure they are pure as well as potent.
• Commitment to Quality: This careful selection and testing of our products is a testament to our commitment to provide the highest quality mushroom supplements we can.

If you have any questions about our sourcing or testing, please feel free to reach out at hey@flowstate.nz, we love to chat with our customers about all things fungi!