Cleanly broken cordyceps can still be identified and appraised when the body, stroma and diagnostic details remain dry and attributable to the lot. Mould changes the question: fuzzy growth, musty odour, softness, spreading dark areas or internal collapse can make material unsuitable for normal acquisition or food use. Never glue, wash, brush or disguise damaged specimens before inspection.
A break can expose useful authentication evidence
Properly dried cordyceps is brittle and may snap during transport. A clean cross-section can show a pale cream or yellowish interior with a fine darker line, while the outer body retains rings and leg details. Keeping both sections together helps an assessor reconstruct the specimen without pretending it remains complete.
Adhesive repair is counterproductive. Glued stromata resemble known fabrication, and inserted sticks or wire may add false weight. Loose fragments, dust and foreign matter should be separated visibly, then weighed according to what can still be attributed to authentic cordyceps.
Mould is not a cosmetic defect
Grey-white powder is not always mould, but fuzz, damp feel, mustiness and local green or black spread require isolation. Internal darkening combined with softness or hollow collapse is more serious than dry surface colour. Wiping a specimen clean cannot establish that contamination has been removed.
Do not sun, grind or smell suspect material closely. Close the container, keep it away from sound dried goods and photograph the affected areas. Kam Hoi Shing may decline a lot when contamination or safe handling is uncertain, regardless of its printed origin or former grade.
Condition categories should remain explicit
- Intact and dry:full morphology remains available for grading.
- Clean break:identity may remain strong but presentation is reduced.
- Pest damage:holes, powder and hollowing affect usable material.
- Suspected mould:isolate and assess without restoration attempts.
There is no universal residual percentage for broken or mould-affected cordyceps. The appraisal depends on authentic dry material, diagnostic clarity and contamination risk in the actual lot. A careful report separates physical breakage from biological deterioration instead of using one vague label, and it never converts a mould question into a health or consumption recommendation.
Photographs of damage should show the entire container first, then representative intact pieces and the suspect area at close range. Neutral light is preferable to a flash that turns grey powder bright white. Include any old desiccant or liner because it may explain moisture history, but keep it out of the product weight. This record helps an assessor distinguish isolated breakage from a batch-wide storage failure.
Printed expiry information was recorded but did not replace inspection. A newer box can be mould-affected, while an older dry break may remain identifiable; present condition decides the handling route.
