Extraction and UVB-Induced conversion kinetics of ergosterol from agaricus bisporus

Vitamin D₂ (ergocalciferol) can be obtained from fungal biomass through the UV-induced maturation of ergosterol. In this study, Agaricus bisporus caps were used as a model system to investigate ergosterol extraction and subsequent photochemical conversion under controlled conditions. Ergosterol was extracted using ethanol at different solid-to-solvent ratios (1:5 and 1:50) employing long-term extraction and ultrasound-assisted methods, including glass-bead-enhanced ultrasound extraction, following process-intensification approaches. Photoconversion experiments were then carried out under controlled UV irradiation to evaluate conversion dynamics and assess the suitability of extracted ergosterol for vitamin D₂ formation, using both model ergosterol solutions and mushroom-derived ethanolic extracts. Kinetic analysis of the photochemical conversion was performed using apparent zero-order and first-order models as simplified representations of the underlying photokinetic behavior, where reaction rates depend on absorbed radiation. This preliminary evaluation of extraction yields, and photochemical kinetics provides process-relevant insights for the development and industrialization of fungal-derived vitamin D₂ as an alternative to conventional sources.