L-Ergothioneine (CAS 497-30-3) is a rare, thiol-containing natural amino-acid antioxidant widely recognized for its unique cellular protective properties. Human bodies express a specific OCTN1 transporter protein dedicated to accumulating ergothioneine within cells, tissues and organs, highlighting its biological significance. It scavenges reactive oxygen species, neutralizes oxidative stress, and offers protection for mitochondria, DNA and cell membranes.
Commercial ergothioneine on the market is predominantly manufactured via engineered microbial fermentation. Our Natural Ergothioneine is produced exclusively from naturally occurring sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea (ergot sclerotia). Active L-ergothioneine is naturally biosynthesized and accumulated within these fungal sclerotia. We apply food-grade extraction and multi-step purification to obtain standardized natural extract powder containing 5% L-Ergothioneine. This represents a genuine natural alternative to bioreactor-fermented material.
Ergothioneine occurs at only low-to-trace concentrations in most common foods. Reliable dietary intake is limited, and tissue levels decline over age. Supplementing with our standardized natural sclerotia extract delivers consistent, naturally-sourced ergothioneine independent of dietary patterns.
Key Benefits & Mechanisms
1.Unique thiol antioxidant with exceptional stability; resists rapid auto-oxidation compared to many other cellular thiols, providing long-lasting oxidative-stress protection.
2.Substrate-specific uptake via human OCTN1 transporter, enabling selective accumulation inside cells, mitochondria and vulnerable tissues.
3.Protects mitochondrial integrity, reduces mitochondrial reactive-oxygen-species damage and supports cellular energy homeostasis.
4.Supports healthy inflammatory balance by moderating pro-inflammatory mediator levels in pre-clinical and human observational studies.
5.Supports skin health: shields keratinocytes and fibroblasts against UV-induced oxidative damage; widely used in premium oral-beauty and topical anti-aging skincare formulas.
6.Supports cognitive and neuronal protection; observational data links higher ergothioneine status with better age-related cognitive maintenance.
7.Suitable for healthy-aging, longevity, sports-nutrition, beauty-from-within and high-end cosmetic applications.
Why Natural - The Natural Advantage
1.Fungal-natural biosynthesis: L-ergothioneine is intrinsically biosynthesized inside natural Claviceps purpurea sclerotia, following nature's own biosynthetic pathway, rather than relying on genetically modified microbial strains inside industrial bioreactors. Only one botanical-fungal source is applied for this extract.
2.Recognizable natural fungal origin: starting raw material is naturally formed ergothioneine-rich sclerotia, not lab-engineered production hosts. Enables credible "Natural", "Fungal-Derived" and clean-label market positioning.
3.Full traceability: traceable supply chain from raw sclerotia source through food-grade extraction, purification to finished bulk extract powder; every batch supported by trace documentation and batch-specific Certificates of Analysis.
4.Gentle food-grade processing: low-harshness extraction & purification workflow with minimal solvent footprint.
5.Distinct premium-market differentiation: growing global demand for non-fermented, nature-sourced specialty actives for clean-label supplement and cosmetic brands. Genuine sclerotia-sourced ergothioneine extract fills this market gap.
6.Naturally constrained supply: ergothioneine concentration within natural sclerotia is limited, and harvesting & purification workflow is labour-intensive. True natural ergothioneine extract is comparatively scarce, adding premium value for high-end formulations.
Technical Specifications
|
Item |
Specification |
Method |
|
Product Name |
Natural Ergothioneine Extract (Sclerotia-Derived) |
- |
|
CAS No. |
497-30-3 (active marker) |
- |
|
Marker Content |
L-Ergothioneine: 5% |
HPLC |
|
Appearance |
Brown-yellow fine powder |
Visual |
|
Solubility |
Partially soluble in water |
- |
|
Loss on Drying |
≤5.0% |
Gravimetric |
|
Heavy Metals |
≤10 ppm (total) |
ICP / AAS |
|
Total Plate Count |
≤1,000 cfu/g |
- |
|
Yeast & Mold |
≤100 cfu/g |
- |
|
Salmonella / E. coli |
Negative / Negative |
- |
|
Targeted Alkaloid Residues |
Below detection limits, compliant for food-grade use |
HPLC-MS |
|
Particle Size |
≥95% through 80 mesh |
Sieve |
|
Storage / Shelf Life |
Sealed, cool & dry, protected from light; 24 months |
|
COA (Certificate of Analysis)
|
Item |
Specification |
Result |
Method |
|
Appearance |
Brown-yellow fine powder |
Conforms |
Visual |
|
Identification |
Conforms to reference standard (L-Ergothioneine) |
Conforms |
HPLC / IR |
|
L-Ergothioneine Content |
5% (typical batch value) |
5.29% |
HPLC |
|
Loss on Drying |
≤5.0% |
3.12% |
Gravimetric |
|
Heavy Metals (Total) |
≤10 ppm |
<5 ppm |
ICP / AAS |
|
Lead (Pb) |
≤3 mg/kg |
<1 ppm |
ICP-MS / AAS |
|
Arsenic (As) |
≤2 mg/kg |
<1 ppm |
ICP-MS / AAS |
|
Cadmium (Cd) |
≤1 mg/kg |
<0.5 ppm |
ICP-MS / AAS |
|
Mercury (Hg) |
≤0.1 mg/kg |
<0.05 ppm |
ICP-MS / AAS |
|
Targeted Alkaloid Residues |
Below detection limits |
Not-detected |
HPLC-MS |
|
Residual Solvents |
Conforms |
Conforms |
GC |
|
Total Plate Count |
≤1,000 cfu/g |
<10 CFU/g |
Plate count |
|
Yeast & Mold |
≤100 cfu/g |
<10 CFU/g |
Plate count |
|
E. coli |
Negative |
Negative |
Plate count / PCR |
|
Salmonella |
Negative |
Negative |
Plate count / PCR |
|
Particle Size |
≥95% through 80 mesh |
97% through 80 mesh |
Sieve |
|
Storage / Shelf Life |
Sealed, cool & dry, protected from light; 24 months |
||
Product Quality Advantages
Standardized Marker Content: L-Ergothioneine standardized to 5%, typical tested batch value 5.29%, stable content for every batch.
Dedicated Alkaloid-Residue Control: Every batch undergoes targeted HPLC-MS testing for ergot alkaloid residuals; results controlled below detection limits to meet food-grade safety specifications.
Heavy Metals Strictly Locked Within Low Range: Tested via ICP-MS/AAS, Pb, As, Cd, Hg contents are far below specification limits.
Low Moisture & Good Stability: Loss on drying ≤5.0%, actual result 3.12%, reduces degradation risk during storage.
Strict Multi-Round Microbial Control: Every batch undergoes full microbiology testing; E.coli and Salmonella negative, low total plate count & yeast mold.
Uniform Particle Size: ≥95% pass through 80 mesh, actual 97% through 80 mesh, good powder flow for blending & encapsulation.
Long Shelf Life: Store in sealed, cool dry place away from light; 24 months shelf life under proper storage condition.
Application Fields
Recommended applications: dietary supplements (healthy-aging, cellular-protection, beauty-from-within, cognitive support), sports nutrition (oxidative-stress defence), functional foods & beverages, and premium cosmetics (topical anti-aging, UV-protection skincare, nutricosmetic formulations).
Suggested dosage for finished oral products: To deliver 5–30 mg of L-Ergothioneine per day, finished formulation requires 95–570 mg of this 5% extract daily. Published human clinical studies commonly apply 10–40 mg pure L-Ergothioneine per day. Final formulation dosage shall be validated against target-market regulatory requirements and finished-product claims. For cosmetic topical application, typical extract use-level ranges from 0.1%–2.0%.
Professional ODM/OEM Services
Your Brand, Powered by Natural Ergothioneine - Backed by LANDNUTRA.
We provide full ODM/OEM manufacturing for finished products using Natural Ergothioneine extract as the active ingredient - from concept to commercial delivery, all under one roof.
Capsules: 100 mg, 250 mg; vegetarian or gelatin; custom bottle/blister packaging.
Softgels: Lipid-based fill; custom shapes and sizes available.
Powder Blends & Stick Packs: Single-serve sachets or multi-serving tubs; commonly paired with collagen, resveratrol, or NMN for longevity blends.
Functional Gummies & Chews: Pectin-based, sugar-free options with integrated flavouring and taste masking.
Specialised Delivery Formats: Liposomal dispersions, oil-based suspensions, and emulsified liquid shots for beauty-from-within positioning.
Additional Services: Flavour masking, antioxidant-synergy development, third-party certifications (Kosher, HALAL, NSF, Informed Sport), accelerated stability studies, and full regulatory documentation.
Contact: wangjing@landnutra.com | WhatsApp: +86 18092657549
Comparison: Natural vs. Fermented
|
Comparison |
Natural / Fungal-Sclerotia-Derived (Ours) |
Fermented / Bioconverted |
|
Source |
Natural sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea (single exclusive source) |
Engineered microbial strains in bioreactors |
|
Production route |
Food-grade solvent extraction + multi-step purification from natural fungal biomass |
Bioreactor fermentation, extraction and purification |
|
Label positioning |
"Natural", "Fungal-Derived", clean-label friendly |
"Fermentation-derived" (bio-identical molecule) |
|
Co-active matrix |
Retains natural fungal-origin secondary metabolites background |
Single purified compound |
|
Residual risk |
Minimal; strictly controlled alkaloid residuals via targeted testing |
Potential fermentation by-product residues; host-cell impurity control required |
|
Cost level |
Highest |
Moderate |
|
Best fit |
Premium clean-label healthy-aging, nutricosmetic & cosmetic brands |
Mass-market supplements and cosmetic raw-material applications |
Certifications & Compliance
Facility certifications: HACCP / ISO 9001 / Halal / GMP
Documentation supplied with every order: batch COA, MSDS/SDS, TDS, allergen statement, GMO statement
Special control: dedicated alkaloid-residue testing for every batch to meet food-grade safety requirements
Third-party testing: batch verification by SGS / Eurofins / Intertek
Non-GMO statement supplied with every batch
Email: wangjing@landnutra.com
WhatsApp: +86 18092657549
Packaging, MOQ & Logistics
Standard Packaging: 1 kg aluminium-foil bag; 25 kg fibre drum.
MOQ: 1 kg for sampling; bulk orders from 25 kg.
Lead Time: 7–15 days for stock items.
Shipping: Air or sea; FOB/CIF or door-to-door terms.
Samples: Free samples for evaluation; freight at customer's cost.
FAQ
Q: What is special about L-Ergothioneine compared to other antioxidants?
A: L-Ergothioneine features unique chemical stability and relies on the human-specific OCTN1 membrane transporter for selective cellular uptake. Unlike many fast-oxidizing thiol antioxidants, ergothioneine persists inside cells offering sustained antioxidant defence.
Q: What is the difference between our natural sclerotia-derived ergothioneine extract and fermented ergothioneine?
A: Our material originates exclusively from naturally-formed Claviceps purpurea sclerotia with food-grade extraction workflow, supporting "Natural / Fungal-Derived" clean-label claims. Fermented ergothioneine uses engineered microbial hosts within bioreactors and can only be labelled as fermentation-derived. The extract contains native fungal co-components besides marker L-Ergothioneine.
Q: Are there alkaloid safety risks from ergot-sclerotia source?
A: All batches undergo targeted HPLC-MS testing for ergot alkaloid residuals; residuals are controlled below detection limits to satisfy food-grade safety specifications. Full test data is provided within batch COA documentation.
Q: What marker content and documentation do you supply?
A: This extract is standardized to typical 5% L-Ergothioneine. Each shipment includes batch COA, MSDS, TDS together with special alkaloid-residue test reports and third-party verification documents.
Q: Do you provide samples?
A: Yes - free samples are available for evaluation; please contact us with your formulation or application.
Q: What dosage should be used for finished products?
A: To achieve 5–30 mg active L-Ergothioneine daily, use 95–570 mg of this 5% extract. Clinical trials have used 10–40 mg pure L-Ergothioneine per day. Cosmetic topical typical extract inclusion rate is 0.1%–2.0%. Final dosage must comply with local market regulations.
Worldwide Delivery, Arranged for You
We deliver our ingredients to customers across global markets, choosing the most suitable shipping solution for every order and providing complete documentation along the way. Every delivery is handled end to end, with our team staying with the shipment until it reaches you.
Global Presence Through Industry Events
We regularly take part in international industry exhibitions to meet partners, share expertise and stay close to market trends. Details of our upcoming events are available on request.
Partnerships Built on Results
We work with brands and manufacturer partners across different markets and categories, supporting them from sample stage to commercial bulk supply. Specific references and case details are shared directly with qualified customers upon request.
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