GROWING GOURMET - Anto2ni.it

148 GENERATING
GRAIN SPAWN
Figure 121. Free-pouring of fermented mushroom
mycelium into sterilized grain to create Grain
Spawn Masters.
attention to the path by which air is drawn in.
The outer surface of the pressure cooker should
have been wiped clean and placed into the
airstream coming from the laminar flow bench.
Since the airstream coming from the face of the
micron filter is free of airborne particulates, the
media remains sterile. Additionally, I like to
saturate a sterilized cotton cloth (cotton baby
diapers work well) with isopropanol and place
it over the vent valve as an additional
precaution. When the stop-cock is opened,
clean air is drawn through the alcohol-saturated
cloth. Once the pressure returns to normal, the
pressure cooker is opened into the airstream,
with the leading edge nearest to the filter. The
contents are removed and allowed to cool. The
cultivator should always remain conscious of
the cleanliness of the surfaces of the pressure
cooker, his hands, and the countertops upon
which items are placed.
Step 3. Of the ten cultures, the five best are
chosen. Any culture showing uneven growth,
sectoring, or any abnormality is viewed with
suspicion and is excluded. The mycelium from
each petri dish is sectioned into quadrants with
a heat-sterilized scalpel and aseptically transferred
into the Eberbach stifler containing the
sterilized water. Heat sterilization of the scalpel
need only occur once. This is the single step
that is most dependent upon the actions of the
laboratory technician. Since five cultures are
cut and transferred, the slightest mistake at any
time will allow contamination to be passed on,
thereby jeopardizing the entire nrn. Should the
scalpel touch anything other than the cultured
mycelium, it should be re-sterilized before continuing.
Once the transfers are complete, the
screw-top lid of the Eberbach is replaced, carefully
adhering to the principles of standard
sterile technique.
Step 4. The Eberbach stirrer is placed on the
power unit and stirred in 3-second bursts. (The
blender I use rotates at 8400 rpm.) Pausing for
5 seconds, the surviving chunks of agar fall
downwards into the blades. Another 3-second
burst decimates these pieces. One more 5-second
pause is followed by the last 3-second,
high-speed stir. In effect, the stirring process
has created thousands of chopped strands of
mycelium, in short cell chains.
Step 5. The water/mycelium blend is transferred,
250 ml. at a time in equal proportions,
into the three 1500 ml. Erlenmeyers. A remote
syringe, pipette, or liquid pump can be used.
Less elaborate is to simply "free-pour" equal
volumes of myceliated fluid from the Eberbach
into each Erlenmeyer. The non-absorbent cotton
stoppers are, of course, removed and
replaced with each pouring, being careful not
to allow contact between the cotton stopper and
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