VITAMIN-D CONTENTS IN EDIBLE MUSHROOMS

The ergocalciferol and 25-hydroxyergocalciferol contents in cultivated Agaricus bisporus and in five different wild mushroom species were de termined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), using inter nal standard methods, and the level of previtamin D-2 was screened. Th e methods included saponification and extraction, purification using o ne or two semipreparative HPLC steps, and quantification with analytic al HPLC. The contents of ergocalciferol found in different mushroom sp ecies varied significantly (0.21-29.82 mu g/100 g of fresh weight). Wi ld mushrooms, especially Cantharellus cibarius and Cantharellus tubaef ormis, contained high amounts of ergocalciferol, 12.8 and 29.82 mu g/1 00 g of fresh weight; respectively. The contents of 25-hydroxyergocalc iferol were below the limit of detection in all mushrooms. The contrib ution of previtamin D-2 to the total vitamin D activity was less than 10% of that of ergocalciferol in the mushroom species studied.