Since cattle manure can infect groundwater, and e coli can make its way into crops like lettuce (so I’ve heard) why don’t mushrooms get contaminated? Is the manure they grow in sterilized?
Compost for commercial mushroom farming is pasteurized to kill bacteria and foreign fungi spores :
A high temperature Phase II system involves an initial pasteurization period during which the compost and the air temperature are raised to at least 145°F for 6 hours. This can be accomplished by heat generated during the growth of naturally occurring microorganisms or by injecting steam into the room where the compost has been placed, or both. After pasteurization, the compost is re-conditioned by immediately lowering the temperature to 140°F by flushing the room with fresh air. Thereafter, the compost is allowed to cool gradually at a rate of approximately 2° to 3°F each day until all the ammonia is dissipated. This Phase II system requires approximately 10 to 14 days to complete.
