PURPOSE: To obtain an extract of a mushroom having improved taste and nutritive value, by pulverizing a hard mushroom of the family Polyporaceae or Mucronoporaceae, adding an adequate amount of water or a saccharide solution thereto, decomposing the pulverized mushroom enzymically with an enzyme, and extracting the decomposed pulverized mushroom with hot water.

CONSTITUTION: A hard mushroom, e.g. a corky, felty or leathery mushroom, in muschrooms of the family Polyporaceae or Mucronoporaceae is pulverized or sawn to give a fine particulate, fragmentary or powdery material. An adequate amount of water or a saccharide solution and an enzyme selected from cellulase, hemicellulase, protease and amylase, etc. are added thereto to cause a decomposition reaction with the enzyme at room temperature W a somewhat higher temperature. The resultant decomposition product is then extracted with hot water to afford the aimed extract of the mushroom. The resultant extract contains ergosterol, organic iron compounds, pectin, organic phosphorus compounds, proteins, potassium and saccharides, etc.