METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VITAMIN D ENHANCEMENT IN MUSHROOMS

• Main Authors: SCHROEDER, GARY M, CHALUPA, WILLIAM F
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 03.04.2014
• Subjects: FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES A23B - A23J; HUMAN NECESSITIES; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OFNUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; THEIR TREATMENT, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES

An apparatus (10, 10A) and method for increasing Vitamin D content in mushrooms is disclosed. A mushroom slurry of comminuted or pulverized mushrooms or mushroom parts and liquid, such as water, is passed under a UV-B light source (30) and subjected to one or more pulses of UV light. The slurry may be conveyed to the UV-B light source (30) by a vibrating conveyor (18). After UV-B light exposure, the treated slurry may be dried and ground into a powder, or the treated slurry may be filtered and the insoluble portion may be dried and ground into a powder. The irradiated mushroom powder has a mass fraction of Vitamin D2 of at least 2500 IU/gram of powder, and more preferably at least 20,000 IU/gram of powder. Irradiated mushroom powder may be incorporated into consumable food products for humans or animals, and/or may be incorporated into topical preparations for cosmetic use.