ERGO: A Potential Answer in Mushrooms to Healthy Aging?

The accidental discovery of a fungal contaminant in a Petri dish by Sir Alexander Fleming in 1928 led to development of the antibiotic penicillin, which revolutionized medicine and saved countless lives from deadly bacterial infections. Prior to that discovery in 1909, another fungal metabolite called Ergothioneine (ERGO), a naturally occurring amino acid that contains a sulfur atom on the imidazole ring, was discovered in Ergot fungus, but it received little attention. It wasn’t until almost a century later in 2005, that it was discovered that all mammals, including humans, have a highly specific and efficient transporter for ERGO, which allows it to rapidly move from food into red blood cells and allow for effective distribution among body tissues.

Join Robert Beelman, Professor Emeritus of Food Science and Director of the Center for Plant and Mushroom Foods for Health at Penn State University as he discusses how ERGO is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent believed to prevent or mitigate chronic diseases of aging. Register now to discover more about this possible “longevity vitamin” and the current research regarding how ERGO in the diet might improve long-term health outcomes and increase life expectancy.

This ACS Webinar is moderated by Brian Guthrie of Cargill and is co-produced with the ACS Division of Agricultural & Food Chemistry.

What You Will Learn

• What makes Ergothioneine (ERGO) a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound that may help to mitigate chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease
  
• Why mushrooms are an excellent source of ERGO and how we can also obtain it from other sources
  
• How conventional agricultural practices can compromise ERGO in our food supply and how regenerative practices are necessary
  

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