Black Fungus Extract Powder

Black fungus, the dark, gelatinous ear-shaped fruiting body of the wood ear mushroom Auricularia auricula-judae, is the only material behind this extract. The fruiting body is extracted in water, concentrated and dried to a brown powder. Mycelium and growth substrate are not part of the material.

This black fungus extract is a 10:1 ratio extract with no marker assay and no polysaccharide percentage. The powder is milled to 80 mesh and disperses in water. A plain mushroom powder of the same fungus is listed as a separate product.

SKU: BOT-BEX-0214 Category: Botanical Extracts Tags: Dry Blends & Premixes, Gummies & Chews, Mushroom & Fungi, Plant Extracts, Water Dispersible, Water Extracted

Auricularia auricula-judae Fruiting Body Source & Identity

The botanical entity is Auricularia auricula-judae (Bull.) Quél., the Judas’s ear or jelly ear, a wood-decay fungus of the family Auriculariaceae. The part used is the fruiting body, the visible ear-shaped structure. Mycelium and the wood or sawdust substrate are not part of this black fungus extract.

The Chinese black fungus sold as mu er is the same kind of mushroom, but cultivated strains in China are often assigned by modern taxonomists to a separate species, Auricularia heimuer. Other wood ears, A. cornea and A. polytricha, and the white jelly fungus Tremella are also traded under similar names.

Acidic polysaccharides, beta-glucans and dark melanin pigments are the constituent families of the fruiting body.

Black Fungus Extract vs Mushroom Powder

Form	What It Is	Choose It When
10:1 Black Fungus Extract	Water extract of the dried fruiting body, ratio-defined	A concentrated, dispersible powder is needed
Wood Ear Mushroom Powder	Dried, milled wood ear fruiting body, no extraction	Whole-mushroom fibre is wanted

The 10:1 ratio measures dried fruiting body going into the extract. It is not a polysaccharide assay. A water extract concentrates the soluble polysaccharides that give wood ear its gelatinous texture, while the milled mushroom keeps the insoluble cell-wall fibre.

The two rows differ in form, not in species. The extract is a dispersible solid, and the mushroom powder is a bulk food-type ingredient with fibre that settles in water.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Auricularia auricula-judae
Plant Part	Mushroom & Fungi
Processing	Water Extraction
Common Name	Wood Ear, Jelly Ear, Black Fungus
Ingredient Type	Ratio Extract
Extract Ratio	10:1
Appearance	Brown powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Water Dispersible
Quality Parameters
Moisture (LOD)	≤5.0%
Total Ash	≤5.0%
Particle Size	80 mesh
Heavy Metals	Lead ≤2 ppm · Arsenic ≤1 ppm · Cadmium ≤1 ppm · Mercury ≤0.1 ppm
Microbiology	TPC ≤1,000 cfu/g · Yeast & Mold ≤100 cfu/g · E. coli Negative · Salmonella Negative/25 g
Shelf Life	24 months in unopened original packaging, cool and dry storage

Application Areas

Capsules for a Gel-Forming Extract

Black fungus extract fills hard capsules after a flow check at 80 mesh. The polysaccharide fraction makes the dried powder absorb water and swell, so fill in a controlled-humidity room and keep the hopper covered. A glidant is usually needed when the black fungus powder bridges.

Tablets with Disintegration Checks

Polysaccharide-rich extracts such as black fungus extract swell on contact with water, which can slow disintegration. Use a dry binder and test disintegration at pressing and after a week of storage. A film coat covers the brown core and acts as a moisture barrier.

Viscous Drink Sticks

In water, the extract builds a mildly viscous, brown liquid. Sticks for warm drinks suit that thickness, and a sweet or dark-fruit flavour matches the colour. Test viscosity at the planned dose, because a high-dose stick can feel gelatinous in a clear drink.

Sachet Blends

Sachets carry black fungus extract in a sugar or fibre carrier. Sieve it into the carrier before filling to stop swollen lumps forming at the surface, and run a dose-uniformity check at the start, middle and end of the filling run.

Gummy Premixes

For gummies, black fungus extract goes in with the dry sugar portion before cooking. Its polysaccharide fraction adds body and can change gel set, so trial the texture after a week of storage and adjust the gelling agent if the gummy turns out softer or firmer than planned.

Formulation Notes

Black fungus extract is a brown powder with a faint, earthy mushroom smell. In water it disperses into a dark brown, mildly viscous liquid, because the acidic polysaccharides of wood ear hold water. The melanin pigments give an intense, dark tint even at a low dose.

Add the black fungus powder into agitated water, or wet it first with a small volume of liquid, to avoid dry lumps that hydrate slowly. Dry blending works best when the black fungus extract is first rubbed through a sieve with some of the carrier. For black fungus, after use, fold and seal the liner, then move the drum to a cool, dry spot off the floor.

Dark pigments in black fungus extract can stain equipment and clear packaging, so rinse mixing vessels promptly and judge the colour of the finished product at the planned dose. Allow a drink to rest for several minutes before judging viscosity, because wood ear polysaccharides continue to hydrate slowly.

Packaging & Commercial Supply

Essencefield supports product evaluation, formulation trials, commercial orders, and ongoing ingredient supply. Packaging, storage, and shipping arrangements are determined by product characteristics, order quantity, stability requirements, and destination-market needs.

Supply Item	General Information
Sample	Available upon request for formulation, testing, and supplier evaluation
Order Quantities	100 g · 1 kg · 5 kg · 25 kg · 100 kg · 500 kg · Bulk
Sample Lead Time	Typically 5–7 days after sample confirmation
Production Lead Time	Typically 15–30 days after order and specification confirmation
Packaging	Suitable protective inner packaging with bags, cartons, drums, or other appropriate outer packaging
Storage	Store in tightly sealed, suitable protective packaging in a cool, dry environment. Protect from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight. Specific storage conditions follow the approved product specification.
Documentation	COA · Product Specification · TDS · SDS · Applicable declarations (as applicable)

Final order quantities, lead times, packaging, documentation, and shipping arrangements are confirmed according to the selected product and commercial requirements.