Kaufland offers mushrooms with 30 times more vitamin D Do we really want to buy such foods?

Kaufland offers vitamin D mushrooms: how useful are these mushrooms?

The grocery retailer Kaufland has been offering mushrooms for some time, whose vitamin D content is expected to be 30 times higher than conventional mushrooms when exposed to UVB light. The Stiftung Warentest has now taken a closer look at the breeding mushrooms and explains how sensible they are.

Common vitamin D deficiency

Last year it was reported that about 60 percent of children and adolescents in this country have more or less depressed levels of vitamin D. In addition, one study showed that about half of the over 65s are affected by vitamin D deficiency. In general, the vitamin D supply in Germany is considered deficient. Therefore it makes sense to enrich foods with vitamin D, as happens with some mushrooms?

Kaufland has been offering mushrooms for some time, which should contain significantly more vitamin D than conventional fungi due to UV radiation. Stiftung Warentest has now taken a closer look at the new foods. (Photo: ExQuisine / fotolia.com)

Now also available in Germany

Years ago, German researchers reported on vitamin D enriched mushrooms sold in the UK and Ireland.

A few months ago, Swiss mushroom producers also launched mushrooms that are rich in vitamin D..

And in the meantime, the food retailer Kaufland in Germany is also offering cultivated mushrooms, which are supposed to be rich in vitamin D due to exposure to UV light.

But what benefits does the vitamin D fungus have??

Mushrooms are briefly illuminated with UVB light

"30 x more vitamin D" than conventional cultivated mushrooms, "100 grams contain 125 percent of the recommended daily dose" - that promises the label of the vitamin D mushrooms, which are exclusively on Kaufland on offer, the Stiftung Warentest reported on its website.

200 grams should cost around two euros.

According to a message from the grocery retail chain, mushrooms are briefly illuminated with UVB light. According to the company, this increases the vitamin D content of mushrooms by a factor of 30 compared to conventional mushrooms.

Irradiation imitates a process in the wild - as mushrooms form abundant vitamin D under the influence of sunlight.

In conventional breeding mushrooms this hardly happens because they do not sprout in daylight. The vitamin D is said to support the health of bones and teeth.

The procedure was developed by Dr. med. Paul Urbain, Nutritionist at the University Medical Center Freiburg.

The special mushrooms are produced by the company Pilzland in Lower Saxony.

The irradiation procedure works

The Stiftung Warentest has sent the mushrooms to the lab and reported on "test.de", whether the mushrooms actually bring something for the vitamin D budget and whether the specified vitamin D levels are also correct.

According to the researchers, the experts determined the vitamin D content of the mushrooms from seven different packs and determined that the irradiation procedure works.

The vitamin D content is on average 9.6 micrograms per 100 grams, which is well above the levels of ordinary breeding mushrooms.

Sample analysis of common fungi revealed only about 0.3 micrograms of vitamin D per 100 grams.

Based on the average value, the vendor's promise is that the vitamin D fungi contain 30 times more of the so-called sun vitamin.

Vitamin D levels vary significantly

However, vitamin D levels vary from pack to pack significantly. The lowest level found in the mushrooms of a pack was 5.3 micrograms of vitamin D per 100 grams.

By contrast, the highest content was 15.1 micrograms. This figure even exceeds the maximum level that the EU has set for these novel foods under the European Novel Food Regulation: ten micrograms per 100 grams.

Nevertheless, an overdose of vitamin D does not need to be feared by mushroom lovers. Even from the vitamin D-richest mushrooms they could eat according to goods test in the long run daily without hesitation several packages.

Since the vitamin D contents of the special mushrooms differ so much, the testers describe the precise vitamin D content on the package of 6.25 micrograms per 100 grams as "shameful".

In addition, the fungi are not properly named: The Novel Food Regulation requires that cultivated mushrooms that have been treated with UV rays, "UV-treated fungi (Agaricus bisporus)" must be called.

But on the label are only the names "Vitamin D mushrooms" and "Kulturchampignon".

Man gets vitamin D mainly through the sunlight

"Especially now in the dark season, many people suffer from a vitamin D deficiency. Because the UVB content in sunlight is too low for your own vitamin D production in the skin, "says Dr. med. Paul Urbain.

"The Steinchampignons are an ideal way for vegetarians and vegans to meet their vitamin D needs simply and tastefully," said the nutritionist.

It is important to know, however, that people only cover about ten to twenty percent of their vitamin D requirement through their diet.

Noteworthy quantities are contained in fatty sea fish such as herring and salmon. For example, egg yolk and margarine, which may be fortified with vitamin D, provide smaller quantities.

Mainly, the person gets vitamin D, which is especially important for the bones, through the sunlight in the summer months.

Therefore, specialist societies recommend between March and October two to three times a week face, hands and arms uncovered and without sunscreen to the sun exposing - bright midday sun but you should avoid.

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), half of the time in which sunburn would otherwise be left unprotected is enough.

Those who stay longer in the sun should protect themselves from it, for example with sunscreen. The body can store a supply of vitamin D that is sufficient in most people to come through the dark season without deficiency symptoms.

Taking supplements

Some people still rely on the intake of vitamin D supplements. However, this should always be discussed with the family doctor.

However, such dietary supplements are not recommended for all people, experts warn.

In addition, some of these preparations are not recommended, but even a risk, as tests have shown.

And the drug commission of the German medical profession (AkdÄ) pointed out that it can also lead to an overdose with vitamin D supplements.

According to the Stiftung Warentest, the intake of vitamin D supplements may be useful for certain risk groups, for example in bedridden people or people over the age of 65, who are no longer able to produce vitamin D as well through the skin. (Ad)