Mushroom ingredients supplier Sempera Organics partners with testing lab Alkemist Labs to advance mushroom-bioactive testing

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Mushroom ingredients supplier Sempera Organics (Morgan Hill, CA) has signed a collaborative agreement with analytical testing laboratory Alkemist Labs (Garden Grove, CA) to develop testing protocols for fungi-derived bioactive ingredients.

“Under the terms of the agreement, Sempera and Alkemist will collaborate on various fronts geared towards improving and developing protocols for testing fungi-derived bioactives and creating robust standards for measuring quality, purity, and identity,” states a Sempera press release. Sempera will also join the Alkemist Assured program, in which companies agree to make public the results of testing that Alkemist Labs performs on their products, to ensure supply chain transparency.

In the press release, Dennis Desjardin, chief mycologist for Sempera Organics, stated that current tests for mushroom bioactives could be improved. “Mycelium produces high quantities of beta-glucans, dietary fibers, and bioactive compounds, but current tests for these are often inaccurate, not reproducible, or unavailable,” he stated. “Working with Alkemist, we intend to develop new methods to accurately identify and quantify helpful compounds that will aid in producing ingredients standardized for specific bioactives and stimulate further research.”

Nirmal Nair, CEO and founder of Sempera Organics, added in the press release, “Fungi-forward applications are transforming the natural-sourced wellness landscape across supplements and functional food and beverages. Of particular interest are cognition, immunity, and gut flora health applications. Although there is a vast body of academic research into fungi such as lion’s mane, reishi, and cordyceps, lack of sufficient testing and standardization beyond polysaccharides and beta-glucans are needed for scientific and clinical trials for wider market adaptation.”