Effect of Ultraviolet Irradiation on Vitamin D in Commonly Consumed Mushrooms in Thailand

This study examined the effect and stability of ultraviolet B (UV-B) irradiation and subsequent cooking on vitamin D content in commonly consumed mushrooms in Thailand. Eight varieties of mushrooms were exposed to two-sided UV-B lamps for up to 3 h in a patented cabinet, followed by vitamin D content analysis. Thereafter, the four mushroom varieties with the highest vitamin D content were exposed to UV irradiation, cooked, and analyzed for various forms of vitamin D using LC-MS-MS. The results showed that vitamin D2 in all varieties of mushrooms significantly increased (p < 0.05) after UV-B irradiation according to the exposure time. The highest level of vitamin D2 was found in enokitake mushrooms. In addition, 25-OH D2 and vitamin D4 contents increased after UV-B irradiation in enokitake mushrooms. The vitamin D2 true retention in all cooked mushrooms ranged from 53 to 89% and was highest in stir-fried mushrooms. With economic investment, the two-sided UV-B cabinet has the potential to increase the vitamin D content in commercial mushroom production.

Automated summary

This study examined the effect and stability of UV-B irradiation and subsequent cooking on the vitamin D content in commonly consumed mushrooms in Thailand. The results showed that UV-B irradiation significantly increased the vitamin D2 content in all mushroom varieties, with the highest increase observed in enokitake mushrooms. UV-B irradiation also increased the levels of 25-OH D2 and vitamin D4 in enokitake mushrooms. The true retention of vitamin D2 after cooking ranged from 53% to 89%, with stir-fried mushrooms having the highest retention. The two-sided UV-B cabinet has the potential to increase the vitamin D content in commercial mushroom production with economic investment.