UVB Exposure Supercharges Mushrooms With Vitamin D

Researchers in the U.S. have developed a simple commercial processing technology – exposure to ultraviolet light – to  boost the vitamin D content of mushrooms without affecting other nutrients. Though not many natural foods are rich in vitamin D, and vitamin D fortification has its limitations, mushrooms are high in the vitamin. Comparing button mushrooms exposed to UVB rays to mushrooms exposed to natural sunlight and those grown in the dark, the researchers found that the vitamin D content of the UVB group was 700 percent higher than that of mushrooms grown without light. Moreover, the UVB rays did not harm other nutrients in the mushrooms, such as vitamin C, folate, riboflavin, niacin, etc.