Ergothioneine, the amazing amino acid

Ergothioneine is a naturally occurring amino acid synthesized by microorganism and fungi. Although Ergothioneine cannot be made in human cells, it is present in skin and some tissues at high level as it is absorbed from the diet. The amino acid has good antioxidant properties due to the presence of the thione (C = S) group which is different than other sulfur containing antioxidants. Ergothioneine is called the new vitamin and ergothioneine rich food is often taken for liver and eye health with references for skin health for the reduction of sun damage.

In this presentation, I will share the journey of developing this novel ingredient from concept to cosmetic friendly actives: from sourcing, through in-vitro substantiation, finding the relevance in skin with urban life style and global compliances.