Beware of the diverse array of Cordyceps products in the market.
Because of their well-known medicinal properties, the demand for Cordyceps products is on a steady upward trend. And so are their prices.
Due to the many species of Cordyceps, the Consumer Council advises consumers to decide beforehand what exactly they have in mind to purchase.
The most prized Cordyceps species of all is probably the Cordyceps sinensis, a valued traditional Chinese medicine, or commonly known in Chinese as "冬蟲夏草".
As stated in the Chinese Pharmacopeia and the Schedule 2 of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance (Cap 549), "冬蟲夏草" is the composite substance of the stroma of Cordyceps senensis.
So if what you want to purchase is Cordyceps sinensis - and not just any species of cordyceps - you should state so, in no uncertain terms, the name "冬蟲夏草" to the shop.
Cordyceps sinensis is anything but cheap; it costs easily a few thousand dollars a tael whereas other Cordyceps species are substantially cheaper.
Traders of Chinese herbal medicines are urged to label their products clearly to avoid confusion to consumers. Consumers should patronize licensed Chinese herbal retailers.
As the registration of proprietary Chinese medicine is now under way, Cordyceps products may still use their original product names which bear the wording "冬蟲夏草". The products should not carry any misleading names on their labels.
When choosing health food products made from Cordyceps, consumers are advised to read carefully the details of product description and the ingredient list to determine whether the product contains Cordyceps sinensis.
On the ingredient list, they could not state Cordyceps sinensis or "冬蟲夏草" if in fact they do not contain it.
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