Vitamin D
In 1923, Harry Steenbock and James Cockwell discovered exposure to ultraviolet light increased the Vitamin D concentration in food. After discovering that irradiated rat food cured the rats of rickets, Steenbock sought a patent. Steenbock then assigned the patent to the newly established Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. WARF then licensed the technology to Quaker Oats for use in their breakfast cereals. In addition, WARF licensed the technology for use as a pharmaceutical, Viosterol. WARF's commercialization of Vitamin D culminated in its enrichment of milk.
"Enriching milk with vitamin D posed a significant challenge to WARF and its industry partners. Cereals and pharmaceuticals could be easily fortified by adding irradiated yeast or activated lipids (ergosterol) to them as sources of vitamin D. But strict pure foods laws at the time prohibited the addition of anything to milk, even chocolate. In order to produce vitamin D in milk, the milk itself would have to be irradiated. " (quote from site)
By the time the patent expired in 1945, rickets was all but nonexistent.
Through innovations from Hector DeLuca, Vitamin D continues to be a large percentage of WARF's income, around 70%.
Read more about this topic: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation