WATSONVILLE, CALIF.  — Monterey Mushrooms is gearing up to introduce a new line of mushroom powders for use by food and supplement manufacturers. The nutraceutical products are an extension of the company’s Just Mushrooms Vitamin D2 powder line.

Lion’s mane, cordyceps and chaga are the first three powders. The powders are produced by dehydrating mycelia and fruit bodies that have been fermented on organic white sorghum grain. The lion’s mane and cordyceps products are full-spectrum powders, meaning they contain the mushroom mycelium, extracellular compounds (molecules and nutrients that are excreted by the mycelium), primordia (beginning stages of fruit bodies) and fruit bodies. The chaga will be in a mycelium plus powder format that includes the mushroom’s mycelium along with its extracellular compounds and the fermented sorghum.

Grown and processed in Monterey’s facilities in California, the mushrooms are certified as both kosher and organic. The powders may be used in a variety of applications, including smoothies, juice, tea, coffee, functional snacks, chocolate bars and protein-based nutrition shakes and bars.

“We are committed to growing the very best mushroom strains for our nutraceutical powder line and really pride ourselves on having control from the beginning, including strain culturing and spawn development,” said Bruce Knobeloch, vice president of marketing and product development at Monterey Mushrooms. “Our long-term corporate strategy of vertical integration was exemplified through investments in facility renovations and equipment purchases that enable us to grow and process these new nutraceutical mushrooms.”

The company plans to launch reishi, shiitake, maitake, turkey tail and agaricus blazei powders this spring.