How to distinguish the true and false Cordyceps sinensis

In the face of the numerous and complicated Cordyceps sinensis stores in the market, it is difficult for many consumers to distinguish between the true and false Cordyceps sinensis. Experts give advice for consumers, from the "shape", "color", "taste" three aspects can easily distinguish between true and false Cordyceps sinensis.

Grass shape: Cordyceps sinensis is shaped like silkworms, generally there is only one "grass head" and there are very few multi-branched "grass heads" of Cordyceps sinensis. The grass head is thicker at the base and thinner at the end, with a length of between 0.1 and 4 cm. The "worm body" has 8 pairs, with a tail like a silkworm tail, with a length of 1.6 cm to 4 cm, most of which are 1.6 cm to 1.9 cm in length, while Cordyceps sinensis between 5.6 cm and 6.5 cm is rare. The surface of Cordyceps sinensis is rough, the ring pattern is obvious, the dry Cordyceps sinensis is brittle and easy to break. After the Cordyceps sinensis was broken, there was a hollow or grayish horseshoe-shaped imprint on the cross section. The pruning shape of Cordyceps sinensis is mostly slender or slightly curved.

Grass color: the appearance of Cordyceps sinensis is yellow to brown, the head is yellowish red, and most of the "grass heads" are black, slender and flat in cross section. It is better for Cordyceps sinensis to be yellow, bright, plump and enlarged, cross-section yellow-white, not hollow, short, no mildew and no impurities.

Grass smell: Cordyceps sinensis is opened after sealing, and it smells fishy.

In addition, experts point out that there are more than 300 varieties of Cordyceps sinensis in the world, and about 60 species are made in China. However, only Cordyceps sinensis infected by Cordyceps sinensis infects the larvae of bat moth and is only distributed in the alpine meadows of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and its marginal areas. The others are not authentic Cordyceps sinensis. Some people impersonate Cordyceps sinensis and Xinjiang Cordyceps sinensis which are wild in Hunan, Guangxi, Jiangxi, Anhui and other places. In these false Cordyceps sinensis, the color of Cordyceps sinensis is white, the central four feet are not very prominent, and symptoms such as dizziness and vomiting will appear after taking it. Qiongshan Cordyceps sinensis from Sichuan does not have any effect. Cicada pupa cicada from Yunnan and Cordyceps militaris from Jilin, Hebei and Shaanxi provinces are different from Cordyceps sinensis.