Autoclave Bags
Autoclavable Filter Patch
Our unique filter patch has been tested on all our strains and has been 100% successful every time!
Shiitake Culture
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Autoclave Bags | 250 mm and 330mm wide
NOTE: 250mm and 330mm is the 'flat' width. If the bag mouth is opened and perfectly round, the inside diameter is 160mm and 210mm respectively. Please visit the SHOP to place your bag order. Test samples are available!
If you would like to test a few bags before you place a large order, you are welcome to arrange that with us. You pay the courier cost and we'll send you 10. The development of the patch bag
It all started with melting and burning different plastics in the microwave oven and pressure cooker by accident. When you first start or begin to cultivate mushrooms, you are constantly looking about to find the best growing container. From kitchen tupperware to laundry baskets, something must work! You soon learn that the are two main plastic groups namely, Polyethylene and Polypropylene. Polyethylene has a very low melting point and Polypropylene can withstand high temperatures. The best plastic to use is obviously a plastic that can withstand high temperatures, and only because you need to "clean" or prepare the substrate, that you would like to grow your mushrooms on, using heat. There are cold pasteurization methods that do not involve using heat, so polyethylene, being cheaper, is your best option. The bags that we produce, are made from polypropylene, as they can be used to make spawn, which requires high heat and pressure for sterilisation. The 'Filter-Patch bag that we produce has a 5 micron filter that is heat-welded to the 70 micron thick polypropylene plastic. There is a slit in the plastic behind the filter, which allows the transference of carbon dioxide and oxygen in and out of the bag. The mycelium in the bag expels carbon dioxide as it grows and needs fresh air to breathe. No air, no growth. The air that enters the bag needs to be clean air or else the substrate inside the bag gets infected with a competitive fungus. |
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
A Pain in the Ass!
For years, people have been testing new bags and filter patches only to find that contamination sets in and destroys all their hard work.
The autoclave bags that are currently on the market come with a square white polypropylene filter patch that is heat welded onto the bag. The filters come in different grades - 1 to 5 micron and for someone starting off, this is a problem considering that there is always a minimum order of 100, 500 or 1000. Which one do you buy? For your first try, we will ship you 1 or 10 bags to test. Give it a try! Hey Craig |
