Auricularia auricula, which is ear-shaped, is a fungus parasitic on dead wood and rich in iron, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin B 1. Auricularia auricula is a fungus of auriculariaceae. The fresh auricularia auricula is gelatinous, translucent, lateral to the trees, with the diameter of 5 ~10 cm, elastic, smooth and concave ventral surface, slightly curled edge, raised back, and extremely fine fluff, which is dark brown or tawny.

After drying, it shrinks into horny, hard and brittle, and its back is dark gray or grayish white; Swelling after entering water, it can be restored to its original state, soft and translucent, with smooth mucus on its surface. Soft texture, delicious taste, rich nutrition, can be vegetarian or meat, which not only adds elegance to the dishes, but also nourishes the blood and keeps the face, eliminates diseases and prolongs life. Modern nutritionists praise Auricularia auricula as "the meat of vegetarian food", and its nutritional value can be comparable to that of animal food.

Fresh auricularia auricula contains a kind of porphyrin light-sensitive substance, which can cause skin itching, edema and serious skin necrosis after being irradiated by the sun. Dried auricularia auricula is a finished product after exposure, during which most porphyrins will be decomposed. Before eating, dried auricularia auricula is soaked in water, and the remaining porphyrins contained in it will be dissolved in water, so the dried auricularia auricula with water hair can be safely eaten.

The surface of high-quality auricularia auricula is black and smooth, and one side is gray. It feels dry to the touch, and has no graininess and no peculiar smell in the mouth. Pseudoauricularia auricula looks thicker and heavier. It feels moist or grainy when touched by hand, and tastes sweet or salty in mouth (generally soaked in sugar or salt water).

The polysaccharide in auricularia auricula can decompose tumors, so it can improve people's immunity and has a good anti-cancer effect. And this polysaccharide also has the function of dredging blood vessels and clearing cholesterol in blood vessels, so it can lower blood sugar and blood lipid, prevent thrombosis and prevent cerebrovascular diseases. The phospholipid in auricularia auricula has a nutritional effect on brain cells, so auricularia auricula is a good brain-nourishing food. Auricularia auricula also has the dietotherapy effect of nourishing and moistening dryness, nourishing blood and benefiting stomach, so it is a health food for patients with various modern civilized diseases such as hypertension, heart disease and cancer.