Reports in the media have suggested that an unassuming bracket fungus holds the distinction of being the bitterest substance on the planet!
Scientists, from the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich and the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry in Halle, set out to explore the bitter properties of Amaropostia stiptica, commonly called the bitter bracket mushroom. This fungus can be found growing on the trunks and branches of dead trees. It has a shelf-like fruiting body that juts out from the wood and, although not harmful, it is known for its intensely bitter taste.
The standout discovery was a molecule called oligoporin D. This substance activates a bitter taste receptor at extremely low concentrations – about 63 micrograms per litre.
That’s like dissolving a single gram of the compound into more than 100 bathtubs of water.
Sharp Stalker reckons - read more about it elsewhere on the website.
