Vol. 11, Issue 6 (2022)

Author(s):
Dileep KC, Anupama Anand, Ruchi Sharma, Harpreet Kaur, Chahat Thakur, Anjali Gautam and Ankita Sharma

Abstract:
Mushroom is a fruiting body of micro-organisms called fungi. They lack chlorophyll, absorbs nutrients from soil and decaying matter for their growth. Mushrooms are valuable nutritional foods with recognized bioactive properties, such as, antioxidant (ergothionine), bone growth and mineralization (Vitamin D), anti cancer (Lectins) and immunity boosting effect. Vitamin D also called as calciferol, which is a fat soluble vitamin, plays an important role in several human metabolic processes such as calcium and phosphorus metabolism, and skeletal and neuromuscular homeostasis. Nowadays studies on vitamin D have received considerable attention over the years supported by the increasing number of reports of vitamin D deficiency. Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency includes rickets and osteomalacia arising from poor calcium and phosphorus mineralization; but other diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypertension, stroke, diabetes rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, liver diseases, and mental illness have been also reported to be associated. The fruiting body of mushrooms, either in their fresh or processed forms, is rich in sterols, mainly Ergosterol, that can be converted into vitamin D₂ by UV-radiation. The amount of vitamin D varies among mushroom species, and also within the same species. Among them, mushrooms belonging to the genera Agaricus, Lentiula and Pleurotus have been reported to contain interesting amounts of vitamin D after exposure to UV. However, there is still gap considering the knowledge of the most appropriate irradiation procedures (dose, intensity, distance between source and sample, exposure time) in order to maximize the content of vitamin D₂ in the mushrooms. This strategy will enable vitamin D₂- enhanced mushrooms to be commercially available at affordable costs.