Ergocalciferol is known as having vitamin D activity. In this study, the effects of UV irradiation on the increase of egocalciferol content were investigated in 7 kinds of mushrooms, i.e, lily mushroom (Flammulina velutipes), oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus), young oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus), king oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii), button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus), shiitake (Lentinula edodes), and wood ear mushroom (Auricularia auricula-judae). Mushrooms which were not exposed to UV light contained negligible amount of ergocalciferol in all kinds of tested mushrooms, but UV irradiation increased their content of ergocalciferol. Of UV A, B and C, UV B light was the most effective to increase ergocalciferol contents. In mushrooms, the increase in ergocalciferol content occurred only in the peel within 1 mm depth from the surface, which was directly exposed to the UV light. Therefore, when fresh whole mushrooms were irradiated with UV light, lily mushroom, the mushroom with a larger surface area compared to volume, such as lily mushroom, was more favorable in producing ergocalciferol. On the other hand when the mushrooms were freeze-dried and cut, the mushrooms with a higher ergosterol, such as king oyster mushroom, shiitake or button mushroom, were more favorable in generating ergocalciferol.

• 최성진(대구가톨릭대학교 생명공학과) | Seong-Jin Choi (Department of Biotechnology, Daegu Catholic University, Daegu 38430, Korea) Corresponding author