Pleurotus ostreatus as a source of vitamin D2 and functional foods for a young population

The basidiomycete Pleurotus ostreatus, was studied to develop two applications embracing the concept of thebioeconomy. In one approach, P. ostreatus was investigated as a source of vitamin D2. According to the FAO, about one billion people in the world is currently at risk of deficiency, especially children, due to dark skin pigmentation, malnutrition and malabsorption. In this study, the level of vitamin D2 in P.ostreatus was enhanced through UV irradiation from its precursor ergosterol. The conversion process was developed at a SME plant and resulted in the accumulation of up to 44 mg/kg dry weight. Moreover, P. ostreatus was studied as an ingredient for a functional food. In fact, the purified beta-glucans of P.ostreatus have been reported to exert immunomodulatory effects in vivo in both children with recurrent respiratory tract infections and young athletes, since excessive physical loads depress the immune system. In this research, a strain of P. ostreatus was found to be able to produce 37 g/100 g dry weight of beta-glucans using wood as a growth substrate. A flat bread added with the dried mushroom was formulated to deliver the amount of beta-glucans that can be effective in vivo. The beta-glucan-rich bread was tasted by 227 subjects aged between 13 and 18 years and resulted in high liking ratings assigned by the adolescents. Overall, the results indicated that P. ostreatus could be exploited for both therapeutic strategies and for a healthier diet.