Key takeaways
- Compounds dissolve best in solvents of similar polarity.
- Water extracts polysaccharides, nucleosides and ergothioneine.
- Ethanol extracts triterpenes, sterols and some phenolics.
- Water–alcohol proportions shift the balance of what’s extracted.
The liquid used to extract a mushroom decides what ends up in the extract. This article explains how solvent choice shapes the result.
Like dissolves like
Compounds dissolve best in solvents with similar properties. Chemists describe this in terms of polarity. Water is highly polar; ethanol is less so.
Water
Extracts polar compounds: polysaccharides including beta-glucans, many proteins, nucleosides such as cordycepin, and ergothioneine. See Hot-Water Extraction Explained.
Ethanol
Extracts less polar compounds: triterpenes, sterols and some phenolics. See Alcohol Extraction Explained.
Mixtures
Water and ethanol mix in any proportion. A higher alcohol percentage shifts extraction towards less polar compounds; a lower percentage behaves more like water. Producers choose proportions to suit the mushroom.
Other solvents
Industrial processes sometimes use other solvents, such as supercritical carbon dioxide, for specific purposes. Consumer mushroom tinctures typically use water and food-grade ethanol.
Why it matters
Two extracts of the same mushroom, made with different solvents, can contain quite different compounds. That’s why dual extraction exists.