Blue California, has announced the development and commercial production of ErgoActive™, Natural L-Ergothioneine, a dietary antioxidant that could help prevent premature aging and chronic inflammation caused by oxidative stress. ErgoActive™ can be used in a variety of consumer products ranging from topical skin products to beverages and dietary supplements.

Until now, commercially available L-Ergothioneine has been chemically synthesized and sold at a very high price making it extremely difficult for product developers to add this ingredient to antioxidant or anti-aging formulations. Blue California is the first company to produce L- Ergothionine by fermentation making it the only natural form of L-Ergothioneine available in the market today. The company guarantees competitive prices and sustained availability for their trademarked ingredient, while the chemically synthesized form of L-Ergothioneine has been a risky investment for marketers and manufacturers of consumer products L-Ergothioneine, a unique sulfur-containing amino acid, was discovered in 1909 when it was purified from the ergot mushroom. This amino acid is not synthesized by the body, it must be derived though diet or dietary supplementation. Recently, scientists discovered that mammals have a specific transporter for L-Ergothioneine concentrated in cell mitochondria, suggesting an important physiological role for this amino acid. Depletion of this transporter in the cell’s mitochondria increases the cell’s susceptibility to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is that may accelerate cell damage causing premature aging and other health related problems.

Cecilia McCollum, Blue California’s Executive Vice President, noted: “we are very excited about introducing this unique amino acid, we believe that dietary supplementation with ErgoActive™ may help control premature aging, chronic inflammation and other health problems related to oxidative stress.” McCollum also offered support to scientists, universities and research institutions interested in the prevention of oxidative stress through dietary supplementation with ErgoActive. “We have sponsored clinical research in the past and know how valuable it would be for the scientific community to have easy access to this ingredient for further study”