Abstract
We analyzed the vitamin D and ergosterol contents of Grifola gargal, which is the Chilean edible mushroom with a characteristic almond flavor. The cultivated G. gargal mushroom contained remarkably high amounts of vitamin D compared to other cultivated mushrooms, such as maitake (Grifola frondosa) and shiitake (Lentinula edodes). The amount of vitamin D in G. gargal significantly increased with exposure to light from fluorescent lamps during the fruiting body formation period. In addition, the vitamin D content of G. gargal increased up to twenty fold (about 5.3 mg/100g dry wt.) after UV-light irradiation with a 245nm wavelength for 2 hours. Therefore, G. gargal might be not only a new type of edible mushroom with an almond flavor, but also a healthy source of vitamin D for the prevention of rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults.
