What is LEM® Composed of?

Nutrient-rich extract from the cultured solid medium of Lentinus edodes

“LEM” is an extract prepared from mycelia of shiitake mushrooms that have been specially processed before developing spores, following long-term cultivation on a solid medium consisting of bagasse (sugar cane fiber) and rice bran. This active ingredient was obtained for the first time through sequential reactions by more than 100 types of enzymes produced by shiitake mycelia. LEM is a useful substance made by utilizing the effect of shiitake mycelia (microbes), and it can be classified into the same category of fermented food products as natto (fermented soybeans), cheese, yogurt, miso (soybean paste), soy sauce, sake, fermented lactic drink, etc.

What kind of mushrooms are used for LEM® production? 

LEM (registered trademark) is manufactured from a solid culture of shiitake mushroom mycelium, bagasse, and rice bran. Many people consider mushrooms as a different kind of plant to grow in the forest. However, mushrooms are not part of the plant or animal kingdom, but belong to their own group, the kingdom of fungi. Furthermore, the part we eat normally, the umbrella-shaped fruit body, is only the part of the mushroom used for regeneration. Most of the fungi are found in the soil, wood, or what it is used to grow. Roots are called mycelia. The “roots” of these mycelia are part of the mushrooms cultured in the solid culture process and eventually converted to LEM®.

The ability of LEM®

The bioactive components of LEM

LEM has 2 types of bioactive components, polysaccharides (xylose-containing heteroglycans) and water-soluble lignin. The unique characteristic of LEM is that it contains water-soluble lignin, which is not contained other common mushroom products. Lignin is present in the cell walls of plants and is not soluble in water because of high-molecular-weight. Lignin is difficult to digest even if humans eat. However, Lignin has become soluble in water through degradation by specific enzymes produced from shiitake mycelia in the process of cultivating shiitake mycelia on solid medium. This water-soluble lignin has immunoregulative, antiviral and antioxidative activities.