BMC Ingredients study finds ergothioneine and spermidine in Rhiza mycelium

BMC Ingredients has published new peer-reviewed research examining the presence of ergothioneine and spermidine in its Rhiza mycelium, broadening the nutritional picture of Neurospora crassa beyond its established protein and fiber content.

• One tested Rhiza production lot contained 60.4mg of ergothioneine and 20.3mg of spermidine per 100g
• The paper examines both compounds in the context of research into healthy aging, while stopping short of making health claims
• Researchers say testing across multiple production lots and human bioavailability studies are needed next

The paper, Beyond Protein: Neurospora crassa as an Underrecognized Dietary Source of Ergothioneine and Spermidine, was published in Applied Microbiology on September 29.

It combines a review of existing scientific literature with third-party analysis of one commercial production lot of BMC's dried N. crassa mycelium. The testing measured ergothioneine at 0.604mg/g, equivalent to 60.4mg/100g, and spermidine at 20.3mg/100g on an as-received basis.

Both compounds have attracted scientific interest in research related to aging, although the paper is careful to distinguish their presence in a food ingredient from evidence of a health or longevity benefit.

Ergothioneine is a sulfur-containing amino acid derivative produced by certain fungi and bacteria. Humans obtain it through the diet, and research has examined its antioxidant properties and its potential role in cellular protection. Spermidine is a naturally occurring polyamine involved in processes including cell growth and autophagy, through which cells remove and recycle damaged components.

“Rhiza mycelium deserves attention for more than its protein and fiber,” said Paul Shapiro, CEO of BMC Ingredients and author of the paper. “It offers food makers a way to incorporate ergothioneine and spermidine into everyday foods through a whole-food ingredient.”

The analysis puts the measured concentrations alongside published data for other foods, but Shapiro cautions against treating these as direct comparisons.

The 0.604mg/g ergothioneine result falls numerically within ranges previously reported for cultivated mushrooms and N. crassa. However, the Rhiza measurement was taken from dried product as received, without a reported moisture value, while comparator studies used different samples, methods and measurement bases.

For spermidine, the 20.3mg/100g result was close to a previously published soybean value of approximately 20.7mg/100g and below a wheat-germ value of approximately 35.4mg/100g. It was also numerically above values reported for mushrooms, green peas and broccoli in one food database.

The paper stresses that these figures should provide context rather than be used to establish a nutritional ranking between foods.

It also puts some distance between the compositional findings and claims around longevity. Research in model organisms has linked spermidine with autophagy and lifespan extension, while observational human studies have reported associations between higher spermidine intake and lower mortality. However, a randomized clinical trial involving 100 older adults found that a wheat-germ extract supplying 0.9mg of spermidine a day did not improve its primary memory outcome or most secondary biomarkers.

Ergothioneine has meanwhile been proposed by researchers as a possible 'longevity vitamin', and higher circulating concentrations have been associated with lower cardiovascular disease and mortality risks in observational research. Neither finding demonstrates that consuming Rhiza extends human life.

The paper states that the current results establish the presence and approximate quantities of the two compounds in one Rhiza production lot, rather than typical concentrations across commercial production. No replicate lots were analyzed, and the laboratory reports did not provide sample moisture, measurement uncertainty or replicate measurements.

BMC said the findings add to previous work examining N. crassa as a food ingredient. Commercial dried biomass is approximately 50% protein and 30% fiber on a dry basis, according to research cited in the paper, while the fungus has a history of consumption in traditional fermented foods.

In 2024, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a “no questions” response to BMC's conclusion that its N. crassa mycelial biomass is generally recognized as safe for specified food uses. Health Canada completed a safety assessment in 2026 and notified BMC that it had no objection to the food use of Rhiza mycoprotein.

The researchers identify repeated testing across nonconsecutive production lots as the next step, alongside analysis of stability during storage and cooking and studies examining how readily the compounds are released from the mycelial matrix during digestion.

If those studies continue to show nutritionally relevant exposure, the paper proposes a human bioavailability study measuring ergothioneine and appropriate polyamine endpoints. As the author concludes, a longevity trial is neither the first nor the most useful next experiment.

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