Synthetic biology disrupts the anti-aging industry! Due to a 90% drop in cost, the market for ergot sulfur is expected to exceed 100 billion yuan by 2026!
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- May 14,2025
Summary
Ergothionine (EGT) is a natural sulfur-containing amino acid and currently the only known natural 2-thioimidazole amino acid.
It was first discovered in the ergot fungus in 1909, and later confirmed to contain this ingredient in mushrooms such as Ganoderma lucidum and matsutake.
As a strong antioxidant, ergotamine can efficiently scavenge free radicals, chelate heavy metal ions, and has significant effects in anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, liver protection, eye protection, and other fields by passing through the blood-brain barrier and blood eye barrier.
For example, clinical trials have shown that its eye wash can prolong tear film rupture time by 27.74%, and oral capsules can reduce liver function indicators ALT/AST by 21.3% and 19.6%, respectively.
Biological fermentation is currently the mainstream method for industrial production of ergothioneine, and its core process includes:
1 .Strain construction: Microorganisms (such as Escherichia coli and Bacillus) can be modified through gene editing techniques (such as CRISPR), or high-yielding strains (such as Pleurotus ostreatus and Hericium erinaceus) can be directly selected.
2. Fermentation process: In a 20-30 ton fermentation tank, control the temperature at 25-38 ℃ pH 6-8.5， Adding precursor substances such as cysteine and histidine to achieve large-scale synthesis of ergothionein through high-density fermentation.
3. Separation and purification: Through techniques such as aqueous phase extraction (without the need for organic solvents) and ion exchange resin, the purity of ergothionein is achieved to be ≥ 99.99%.
Technical advantages
Cost reduction: The biological fermentation method has reduced the price of ergot sulfur raw materials from the early 300000 yuan/kg to the 10000 yuan level.
Scenario expansion: In addition to cosmetics and health products, ergotamine is also used for ophthalmic surgery, organ transplantation preservation (replacing glutathione), and food preservation (such as extending mushroom shelf life).
The National Health Commission has accepted the application for ergotamine as a new food ingredient (expected to be approved in 2026), and the European Union and FDA have also approved its use.
The sales of cosmetics containing this ingredient will increase by 6000% year-on-year in 2024.
With the continuous breakthroughs in synthetic biotechnology and the release of policy dividends, ergotamine is expected to create a new trend in the fields of anti-aging and health.
It is predicted that after its approval as a new food ingredient in 2026, the Chinese market size will reach billions, and the efficient and environmentally friendly characteristics of biological fermentation will further consolidate its industrial position.
