Cosmetic-grade Ergothioneine

Ergothioneine is a sulfur-containing derivative of histidine that was discovered in 1909. It is synthesized by certain fungi and bacteria, such as Neurospora crassa, Mycobacterium smegmatis, Chlorobium limicola, and Methylobacterium strains. Ergothioneine can scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) and chelate divalent metal cations like iron and copper. Due to its powerful antioxidant properties, this compound has been reported to possess several beneficial properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-aging, and metal-chelating effects, thereby playing a cytoprotective role in vitro. Moreover, it has shown potential therapeutic effects in a range of diseases, including chronic inflammatory diseases, central nervous system diseases, cardiovascular diseases, liver diseases, kidney diseases, eye diseases, and cancer, among others. Ergothioneine is recognized as a highly efficient, safe, and stable natural antioxidant, with significant potential for applications across diverse industries such as food, cosmetics, and biomedicine.

Borodina, Irina, et al. "The biology of ergothioneine, an antioxidant nutraceutical." Nutrition Research Reviews 33.2 (2020): 190-217.

Ergothioneine Products Options

Ergothioneine is a naturally occurring antioxidant amino acid derivative, and its application grades depend on the intended use, purity, and regulatory compliance.

Cosmetic Grade EGT
Purity: ≥98%

Food Grade EGT
Purity: ≥98-99%

Pharmaceutical Grade EGT
Purity: ≥99%

Research Grade EGT
Purity: ≥95%

Cosmetic Grade Ergothioneine Product Overview

Cosmetic grade EGT focuses on topical safety, formulation compatibility, and INCI registration. EGT is usually supplied as water-soluble powder or solution, stable in formulation pH 5–8.

Molecular Information	Product Type	Function	Mechanism
Product Name: Ergothioneine (EGT, Cat # MCLX0236)	Anti-aging creams & serums	Antioxidant, mitochondrial protection	Prevents oxidative damage to skin cells
INCI Name: Thiolhistidine (or Ergothioneine)	UV-protective products	Photoaging prevention	Scavenges ROS triggered by UV exposure
Molecular Formula: C₉H₁₅N₃O₂S	Skin-brightening products	Melanin regulation	Reduces oxidative stress-linked pigmentation
Molecular Weight: 229.30 g/mol	Eye creams	Anti-fatigue, anti-dark circles	Improves cellular energy, reduces puffiness
Structure: A thiol derivative of histidine betaine (contains a sulfur group that acts as a powerful antioxidant)	Post-treatment serums	Anti-inflammatory	Soothes irritation after laser/peel treatments

Optimized Production Platform

Produced through our high-density fermentation process using microbial hosts, the final product is pure and completely animal free. We have a range of products available including raw materials, finished forms and OEM services.

Ergothioneine Production

Ergothioneine is a 'secondary' metabolite, defined as a molecule whose synthesis has a relatively restricted distribution in different organisms, the biosynthetic pathways diverge from primary metabolism via the amino acids histidine, cysteine and methionine. Thus, histidine is trimethylated using S-adenosyl methionine to form trimethyl histidine, also known as hercynine. This reacts oxidatively with cysteine to form hercynylcysteine sulfoxide, which is converted to ERG. The chief organisms capable of its synthesis are fungi and certain yeasts, though actinobacteria and certain other micro-organisms, including the slime mould Physarum polycephalum, cyanobacteria and methylotrophs are also naturally capable of its production.

Non-recombinant Microorganisms		Recombinant Microorganisms
Non-recombinant Microorganisms		Name	Genetic modification(s)	Conditions
Aspergillus fumigatus	Lactobacillus casei	Aspergillus oryzae	Expression of egt1 and egt2 genes from Neurospora crassa	Cultivation on solid, rice-based medium
Aspergillus niger	Methylobacterium aquaticum	Escherichi coli	Expression of egtBCDE genes from Mycobacterium smegmatis	Shake flasks. Medium supplemented with yeast extract, His, Met, 20 mm-thiosulfate as sulfur source for l-cysteine synthesis. IPTG for inducing heterologous gene expression
Aureobasidium pullulans	Mycobacterium tuberculosis	Escherichia coli	Expression of the following genes: egtABCDE from M. smegmatis, altered cysE gene encoding serine acetyltransferase feed-back resistant to Cys, native ydeD gene encoding inner membrane Cys exporter, altered serA gene encoding l-serine	Fed-batch in 3-litre bioreactor, 216 h. Complex medium supplemented with IPTG, ammonium ferric citrate, pyridoxine, Met, His, and thiosulfate
Burkholderia pseudomallei	Neurospora crassa	Methylobacterium aquaticum strain 22A	Additional copy of egtBD expressed from a plasmid, deletion of histidine ammonia-lyase (hutH) gene	Test-tubes. Complex medium with methanol
Chlorobium limicola	Schizosaccharomyces pombe	Saccharomyces cerevisiae		Fed-batch fermentation in 1-litre bioreactor, 84 h. Defined medium supplemented with arginine, histidine, methionine and pyridoxine
Claviceps purpurea	Streptomyces coelicolor	Schizosaccahromyces pombe	egt1 overexpression under inducible promoter	N and glucose starvation. Cultivation method not given

Ergothioneine is a sulfur-containing antioxidant amino acid that has gained prominence in industrial practices. Due to its low natural abundance in food sources and mushrooms, microbial fermentation has become the preferred method for scalable, sustainable, and high-purity production.

Key Genes for Editing	Fermentation Process		Purification
Key Genes for Editing	Parameter	Description	Purification
EgtA: γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase	Medium	Rich medium (e.g., LB, M9 + glucose), often with sulfur/amino acid supplementation (e.g., histidine, cysteine)	Cell Harvest & Lysis
EgtB: Sulfoxide synthase	Volume	Shake flasks → 2–5 L bioreactor → scale-up to 100–5000 L fermenter	Clarification
EgtC: Methyltransferase	Temperature	30–37°C (depending on host strain)	Isolation & Concentration
EgtD: Histidine methyltransferase	pH Control	Maintained at 6.8–7.2 using NaOH or H₃PO₄	Polishing
EgtE: Ergothioneine synthase	Aeration	0.5–1 vvm; DO kept >30%	Drying & Formulation
Strain Engineering Metabolic engineering: Overexpress sulfur assimilation or histidine pathways to boost precursor pools Transporter engineering: Incorporate OCTN1 transporter for enhanced export of EGT into medium	Induction (if needed)	IPTG or auto-induction at OD₆₀₀ ~0.6–1.0	Quality Control
	Duration	24–72 hours depending on expression system and yield goal	Specifications

Regulatory Requirements by Grade

Grade	Typical Source	Applications	Regulatory Status	Certifications
Cosmetic Grade	Microbial fermentation (non-GMO or GMO strains)	Anti-aging, anti-UV, antioxidant skincare products	INCI-listed (cosmetics)	Cosmetic GMP, ISO, allergen-free (optional)
Pharmaceutical Grade	Fermentation or synthetic, under GMP conditions	Dietary supplements, functional beverages	GRAS (US), Novel Food (EU), varies by country	ISO22000, HACCP, Halal, Kosher, Vegan
Food Grade	Fermentation (with food safety compliance)	Preclinical/clinical drug research, IV or oral	Investigational; not approved as an API yet	GMP, ICH Q7/Q11 compliant (if for clinical use)

Efficacy Evaluation

We provide in vitro human skin tissue models for cosmetic testing services. Our models are very similar to human skin in terms of morphology, of differentiation markers and of functional characteristics.

In vitro Testing

Hydration Capacity Assay

Skin Barrier Function Tests

Anti-Inflammatory & Antioxidant Tests

Ex Vivo Skin Model Studies

Use human skin explants to observe penetration and bioactivity.

Our Advantages

GMP-Compliant Manufacturing

Our manufacturing process adheres to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines, ensuring the highest quality standards and consistency in every batch. Our state-of-the-art production facilities are certified to meet international standards, including ISO 9001, and we follow stringent procedures to prevent contamination and ensure batch-to-batch consistency.

Full Regulatory Compliance:

We comply with all relevant global regulatory requirements, including those set by the FDA, EMA, and other cosmetic regulatory bodies.

Quality Assurance:

Extensive quality control processes, including testing for purity, molecular weight distribution, and endotoxin levels, ensure that every batch of HA meets the highest standards for cosmetic use.

advantages

Customer Reviews

We partnered for the fermentation-based production of ergothioneine and were impressed with the consistency in purity and delivery timelines. The team’s ability to tailor the grade to our cosmetic regulatory requirements accelerated our product launch.

-Dr. Mei Tan

Senior R&D Manager

The customized ergothioneine fermentation and purification service helped us source a non-animal, high-purity antioxidant perfect for our premium anti-aging line. The support team was transparent and responsive throughout the tech transfer phase.

-Daniel Vega

Director of Innovation

Their ergothioneine surpassed our internal benchmarks for antioxidant stability and bioavailability. The cosmetic-grade documentation (MSDS, CoA, microbial limits) was audit-ready and met J-beauty compliance standards.

-Aiko Nakamura

Formulation Scientist

Reliable supply of high-purity ergothioneine through microbial fermentation has been essential in scaling our dermocosmetic line. Their fermentation team demonstrated deep domain expertise and production flexibility.

-Dr. Luca Bianchi

Chief Product Officer

Partner with Us

Whether you are looking for a reliable partner for small-scale R&D or large-scale commercial production of ergothioneine, our Cosmetic-Grade ergothioneine CDMO services provide the expertise, flexibility, and quality you need. From fermentation and purification to formulation and regulatory compliance, we are equipped to support every stage of your ergothioneine production process, helping you deliver superior skincare products to your customers.