Triple quadrupole liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry–mediated evaluation of vitamin D₂ accumulation potential, antioxidant capacities, and total polyphenol content of white jelly mushroom (Tremella fuciformis Berk.)

ABSTRACT

Tremella fuciformis Berk. (TF), or the white jelly mushroom, is well known for its myriad of pharmacological properties, such as immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antitumor, and antioxidant activities, and hypocholesterolemic and hepatoprotective effects that boost human health. Most of the studies of TF are concentrated on its polysaccharide (glucuronoxylomannan) composition, which is responsible for its pharmacological as well as rheological properties. It is well established that mushrooms are a great source of dietary vitamin D due to the presence of ergosterol in their cell membrane. There is a lack of published data on TF as a source of vitamin D₂. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the vitamin D₂ composition of the fruiting bodies of TF using triple quadrupole liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS/QQQ). The results showed highest vitamin D₂ content (292.02 µg/g dry weight) in the sample irradiated with ultraviolet B (UVB; 310 nm) for 180 min as compared with the control group (52.47 µg/g dry weight) (P ≤ 0.001). The results showed higher accumulation potential of vitamin D₂ in TF as compared with published data available for other extensively studied culinary mushrooms, such as Agaricus bisporus, Lentinula edodes, Pleurotus ostreatus, Cordiceps militaris, and Calocybe indica. Moreover, the impact of UV treatment on antioxidant capacities and total polyphenol content of TF was also studied. The accumulation potential of vitamin D in TF reveals a novel commercial source for this nutrient.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Antioxidant
• ergocalciferol
• ergosterol
• liquid chromatography
• mass spectrometry
• mushroom
• polypenol
• Tremella
• triple quadrupole
• vitamin D

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank Dr. G. Narahari Sastri, director of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, India, for his consistent support in completing the manuscript and Mr. Gaurav Kumar Rastogi, Mrs. Lisamoni Kalita, and Dr. Firdaus Rahaman Gayen of CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat, India, for technical support.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/00275514.2024.2313435.

Additional information

Funding

This research is funded by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) project HCP-0007, CSIR-North-East Institute of Science and Technology.