Mushrooms can be preserved and stored using CO2 or dry ice.
Mushrooms, both the psychotropic variety and the standard kind, can be stored and preserved using CO2. Because CO2 gas is not readily available or affordable for most consumers, you can opt for dry ice instead. Dry ice is the frozen form of CO2 so named because when it melts it turns into a gas rather than a liquid like normal ice. In most communities, dry ice can readily be purchased for very little cost.
Instructions
1. Ask your local retailer if its dry ice is pure. Some forms might be created using a small amount of acetone, which could damage the mushrooms in the unfreezing process.
2. Purchase a small amount of dry ice. Nothing more than a few pounds is needed, but even if you have to buy more, it costs something in the range of $5 or less for about 10 pounds. Wear a pair of protective gloves (cloth or leather) whenever handling dry ice.
3. Cut or break off a small piece of ice from the block using a hand saw or band saw. A piece the size of a die or roughly 3 to 5 cubic centimeters will be enough to fill a jar with CO2.
4. Place the piece at the bottom of a jelly or mason jar. Drop in a handful of mushrooms onto the dry ice. If the dry ice contains acetone, you'll need to put the mushrooms in a plastic bag.
5. Set the lid of the jar loosely on top. Don't seal it yet; allow the ice to melt first.
6. Close the lid and tighten it once the ice has melted. No gas will escape because the CO2 will force the air out first.
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