Cordyceps Extract Powder

Cordyceps militaris, the cultivated species, and specifically its fruiting body rather than wild Tibetan caterpillar fungus, is the source of this cordyceps extract. Water extraction concentrates the soluble fraction, and the liquor is dried to a light brown powder.

This 10:1 ratio extract of cordyceps carries no marker percentage figure. At 80 mesh, the powder is water dispersible. Cordycepin-defined extracts of the same species are a separate standardized product, and the plain dried mushroom is offered as a milled powder.

SKU: BOT-BEX-0005 Category: Botanical Extracts Tags: Bars & Bakery, Cordyceps, Mushroom & Fungi, Plant Extracts, Water Dispersible, Water Extracted

Cordyceps militaris Identity & Plant Part

The botanical entity is Cordyceps militaris (L.) Fr., a fungus that in nature grows from buried insect pupae and that is raised commercially on grain media such as brown rice. The part used is the fruiting body, which forms orange club-shaped stromata and gives the species its common name, orange caterpillar fungus.

Mycelium and the grain it was grown on are not the ingredient here. The name “cordyceps” is traded for three different materials: the fruiting body, mycelial biomass from culture, and the wild caterpillar fungus. They differ in composition and in cost.

The wild caterpillar fungus is Ophiocordyceps sinensis from the Tibetan plateau. DNA work in 2007 showed that it is unrelated to most Cordyceps species and moved it to a different family, the Ophiocordycipitaceae, while C. militaris is the type species of the genus Cordyceps itself.

Cordyceps Extract vs Powder & Standardized Grades

Form	What It Is	Choose It When
10:1 Fruiting Body Extract	Water-extracted, concentrated and dried C. militaris fruiting body	A dispersible whole-extract profile is wanted without a marker
Cordyceps Militaris Extract 0.5–20% Cordycepin	Standardized extract with a defined cordycepin range	The specification names a cordycepin figure
Cordyceps Mushroom Powder	Dried, milled mushroom with no extraction	Whole mushroom with fiber is needed at higher inclusion
Cordycepin	Isolated nucleoside compound	A single pure compound is required

The 10:1 ratio records how much cordyceps fruiting body went into the extract. It says nothing about cordycepin or polysaccharide content, and literature reports wide sample-to-sample differences in cordycepin, which is why a labelled cordycepin figure belongs to the standardized grade. Reviews also report higher cordycepin and adenosine in cultivated Cordyceps than in wild-harvested material, though the spread between samples is large.

The three siblings in the table change the specification basis, not only the flavor. The standardized extract adds a cordycepin range, the milled mushroom adds back the insoluble fiber, and pure cordycepin, which is 3′-deoxyadenosine, is a single nucleoside with no mushroom matrix at all. A formula that must declare a marker starts at the standardized extract, and one that wants a plain dispersible cordyceps ingredient starts here.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Cordyceps militaris
Plant Part	Mushroom & Fungi
Processing	Water Extraction
Common Name	Cordyceps
Ingredient Type	Ratio Extract
Extract Ratio	10:1
Appearance	Light 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

Two-Piece Capsule Fills

Cordyceps extract fits two-piece capsules. Because the powder disperses instead of dissolving, run the disintegration test on the finished fill, since a tightly packed plug can release more slowly than loose powder. Fill weight is worth checking early, because a fine extract can pack differently from a milled mushroom.

Mushroom Stick Packs

Single-serve sticks combine cordyceps extract with other mushroom extracts and a flavored carrier. The light brown tint blends into brown bases, and the mild flavor sits comfortably under cocoa, coffee or malt notes. Match particle size across the components so the stick does not segregate.

Cocoa and Malt Drink Powders

Malt and cocoa bases cover the faint mushroom taste, and an extract that disperses instead of dissolving leaves a haze that disappears in an opaque brown cup. Clear drinks are the harder format for this product, and a mixed cocoa-malt base also covers the light brown tint.

Dry-Mix Energy Bars

The extract goes into the dry mix before the binder syrup is added. As a dried extract it adds little bulk next to milled mushroom, and its light brown color disappears into cocoa or oat bars.

Formulation Notes

The powder is light brown with a mild mushroom aroma and a faint savory-sweet taste. It disperses to a lightly hazy tan liquid and not a clear solution, because part of the extract stays suspended as fine particles.

Wet the powder into a small volume of liquid before diluting it, which avoids floating clumps. Weigh in a dry room: once a bag is opened, close the liner at every draw and use the contents in order, because a light brown extract that has taken up humidity darkens and cakes, and the darker color is the first visible sign.

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.