BMC Ingredients Reports Longevity-Linked Compounds in Rhiza Mycoprotein
BMC Ingredients has published a paper in Applied Microbiology reporting that third-party testing of dried Rhiza mycoprotein found 60.4mg of ergothioneine and 20.3mg of spermidine per 100g.
Rhiza is made from the fungus Neurospora crassa by submerged fermentation, and the measurements came from a single production lot.
The author states that the results do not establish bioavailability or health benefits, and proposes a four-stage research programme to test whether the compounds matter nutritionally.
What the Paper Measured
The research, published in Applied Microbiology and authored by BMC co-founder and chief executive Paul Shapiro, reports third-party testing of dried Rhiza. It found 60.4mg of ergothioneine and 20.3mg of spermidine per 100g.
The source describes ergothioneine as a rare antioxidant amino acid, sometimes called the "longevity vitamin", that can scavenge free radicals, protect mitochondria and support brain and immune health. Spermidine is a polyamine, a type of small organic molecule, involved in cell growth and regeneration, immune regulation and DNA stability. Human studies and mechanistic research have linked it to autophagy, the body's process of clearing out damaged cells, and it is an increasingly common ingredient in anti-ageing supplements.
A Familiar Fungus, Fermented
Rhiza is derived from Neurospora crassa, a strain with a long record of human consumption in oncom, a fermented Indonesian staple made from by-products such as soy pulp, and in Roquefort cheese. BMC grows it by submerged fermentation, in which the fungus grows suspended in liquid nutrient medium. The wet biomass is then filtered from the medium, and the moist cake is diced and dehydrated with heat. The dried material is shredded, sieved and packaged.
According to the company, Rhiza contains 45-50% protein and 30% fibre, with a protein digestibility score of 0.87-0.96, close to casein, beef and eggs. It also has more iron and zinc than beef and more potassium than bananas, and contains no cholesterol and virtually no saturated fat. It is sold in two formats: RhizaTex, mycelium granules for applications where texture matters, such as meat analogues and blended meats, and RhizaPro, a powder for products needing solubility, emulsification or gelation, such as dairy alternatives, bars, pasta and baked goods.
Caveats and a Four-Stage Research Plan
The limitations are stated plainly by the author. The compounds were tested in only one lot of Rhiza, so the results do not establish concentrations across the species, bioavailability (how much the body actually absorbs) or health benefits. Shapiro noted that studies in model organisms and observational human studies provide a rationale for further research on healthy ageing, but that neither compound has been shown to extend human life when consumed in N. crassa.
The paper proposes four steps. First, test multiple, non-consecutive lots for both compounds. Second, run stability tests through storage and representative cooking conditions. Third, use an in-vitro digestion model to estimate how much is released from the mycelial matrix. Fourth, if exposure proves nutritionally relevant, conduct a human bioavailability study measuring ergothioneine in plasma or red blood cells, alongside appropriate polyamine endpoints.
Commercial Position and the Wider Field
Rhiza is already used in several US products. The company received a no-questions letter from the US Food and Drug Administration in 2024, and the ingredient has been approved for sale in Singapore and Canada. BMC has raised $31m in Series A funding, with the aim of scaling up and undercutting the price of commodity beef. It runs a 9,000-litre bioreactor at its demonstration plant in Sacramento and is working with a contract manufacturer in Asia to produce 100 dry tonnes of Rhiza a month; that facility is due to open in the second quarter of 2027. It has also signed five agreements with major meat producers in North America, South America and Asia, which together are projected to generate $13m in annual revenue.
BMC is not the only alternative-protein company looking at longevity. The Dutch mycoprotein firm The Protein Brewery has drawn attention to spermidine and other bioactives in its own ingredient. Reagenics Research, meanwhile, is using plant cell culture to grow protein inside potatoes with low levels of methionine, a compound the source says can accelerate ageing. The source cites a figure that healthy ageing is a top priority for up to 60% of people globally, which explains the commercial interest.
For now, the paper is a compositional analysis rather than a health study. Whether Rhiza's ergothioneine and spermidine survive processing, cooking and digestion in meaningful amounts, and whether they do anything once absorbed, remains untested. The first two steps of the proposed programme, repeat lot testing and stability testing, are the cheapest ways to find out whether the initial result holds.
