Maitake Mushroom Extract Powder

The ruffled fruiting body of Grifola frondosa, called maitake or hen-of-the-woods, is the raw material for this maitake mushroom extract. Water extraction concentrates the soluble fruiting body fraction, and the liquor is dried to a light yellow powder at a 10:1 ratio. Mycelium and culture medium are left out.

The 10:1 ratio of this maitake mushroom extract carries no beta-glucan percentage. The powder is light yellow, ground to 80 mesh and water dispersible. The plain maitake powder and the polysaccharide powder are separate products, and other polypore mushrooms are different species.

SKU: BOT-BEX-0096 Category: Botanical Extracts Tags: Gummies & Chews, Maitake, Mushroom & Fungi, Plant Extracts, Water Dispersible, Water Extracted

Grifola frondosa Fruiting Body Identity & Part

The botanical entity is Grifola frondosa (Dicks.) Gray, a polypore fungus of the family Grifolaceae that forms clustered, overlapping fronds at the base of trees. The part used is the fruiting body, the visible mushroom, and not the mycelium or the grain on which mycelium is grown. Stems and spent substrate are not added to this maitake mushroom extract.

Maitake is easy to confuse with the unrelated chicken-of-the-woods, Laetiporus sulphureus, and with Polyporus umbellatus, a different medicinal polypore once placed in the same genus. A specification that says only “maitake” or “mushroom” does not fix the species or the part. The fruiting body contains beta-glucan polysaccharides, proteins, ergosterol and minerals, of which the water extract concentrates the soluble polysaccharide part.

Maitake Extract vs Powder & Standardized Grades

Form	What It Is	Choose It When
10:1 Maitake Fruiting Body Extract	Water-extracted, concentrated and dried G. frondosa fruiting body	A dispersible mushroom extract without a marker is wanted
Maitake Mushroom Powder	Dried, milled whole fruiting body	Whole-mushroom fiber and protein are wanted
Grifola frondosa Polysaccharide Powder	Polysaccharide-defined ingredient	A polysaccharide figure is required on the label

Ten parts of maitake fruiting body stand behind one part of this maitake mushroom extract, and 10:1 states that input. It gives no beta-glucan figure, and the polysaccharide ingredient listed here is the product to choose when that figure has to appear.

The maitake mushroom extract suits blends that want maitake identity in a low-fiber, dispersible form. The milled mushroom brings its fiber and protein but feels earthy and gritty in drinks, so it is used where texture is not an issue.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Grifola frondosa
Plant Part	Mushroom & Fungi
Processing	Water Extraction
Common Name	Maitake, Hen-of-the-Woods
Ingredient Type	Ratio Extract
Extract Ratio	10:1
Appearance	Light Yellow powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Water Dispersible
Quality Parameters
Moisture (LOD)	≤5.0%
Total Ash	≤5.0%
Particle Size	80 mesh
Heavy Metals	Lead ≤2 ppm · Arsenic ≤1 ppm · Cadmium ≤1 ppm · Mercury ≤0.1 ppm
Microbiology	TPC ≤1,000 cfu/g · Yeast & Mold ≤100 cfu/g · E. coli Negative · Salmonella Negative/25 g
Shelf Life	24 months in unopened original packaging, cool and dry storage

Application Areas

Mushroom Blend Capsules

Capsule blends place maitake extract next to other mushroom extracts. The light yellow powder is cohesive and picks up moisture, so humidity at the filling station is kept low and a flow aid is considered. A trial run checks fill weight before the capsule size is chosen.

Broth-Free Drink Sticks

Drink sticks combine maitake extract with a sweetener and a light carrier. Its mild, savory-sweet mushroom note is noticeable in plain water, so malt, cocoa or roasted-grain flavors suit it better than fruit flavors do. Stirring in warm water helps full dispersion.

Compressed Tablet Cores

Tablet cores use the maitake mushroom extract with a dry binder. Polysaccharide-rich solids bond well under compression but swell in humid storage, so tablets are coated and hardness is checked after aging. The pale color gives little trouble with color mottling.

Chew and Gummy Mixes

Chew mixes add maitake extract after the cooked base has cooled. The pale tint hides easily in caramel, honey or coffee-style flavors, and its savory edge is covered by sweeteners. A small test batch shows whether the base stays soft over shelf life.

Formulation Notes

The maitake mushroom powder is light yellow with a faint, earthy mushroom aroma and a mild, slightly sweet and savory taste. In water it disperses to a pale yellow, lightly turbid liquid. Polysaccharides hydrate slowly, so the first stir leaves small lumps that smooth out after a few minutes.

Mix the maitake mushroom powder with a little sugar or carrier first, which keeps the polysaccharides from balling up in the main blend. Dissolved beta-glucans raise viscosity at higher doses, so a viscosity check of the finished drink is part of the first trial. Mushroom extracts are not stable to prolonged high heat in acid, so late addition is preferred.

Reseal opened drums with the liner pressed flat, because mushroom extract powder takes up moisture and odor from the room. Kept dry, it stays free flowing.

Packaging & Commercial Supply

Essencefield supports product evaluation, formulation trials, commercial orders, and ongoing ingredient supply. Packaging, storage, and shipping arrangements are determined by product characteristics, order quantity, stability requirements, and destination-market needs.

Supply Item	General Information
Sample	Available upon request for formulation, testing, and supplier evaluation
Order Quantities	100 g · 1 kg · 5 kg · 25 kg · 100 kg · 500 kg · Bulk
Sample Lead Time	Typically 5–7 days after sample confirmation
Production Lead Time	Typically 15–30 days after order and specification confirmation
Packaging	Suitable protective inner packaging with bags, cartons, drums, or other appropriate outer packaging
Storage	Store in tightly sealed, suitable protective packaging in a cool, dry environment. Protect from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight. Specific storage conditions follow the approved product specification.
Documentation	COA · Product Specification · TDS · SDS · Applicable declarations (as applicable)

Final order quantities, lead times, packaging, documentation, and shipping arrangements are confirmed according to the selected product and commercial requirements.