Sept. 8, 2010, Eagan, MN – Chemists at Biothera, the manufacturer of Wellmune WGP, have developed a more precise method for analyzing the beta glucan content of raw ingredients and finished food, beverage and supplement products.

The Glucan Enzymatic Method (GEM) is more accurate and precise than other methods of measuring beta glucan, according to a report published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

“GEM is an important advancement in the chemical characterization of beta glucans,” said Richard Mueller, Biothera president and chief executive officer.  “For the first time, food, beverage and supplement manufacturers can confirm scientifically the purity and quality of the ingredients they are adding to their products. Consumers also can have confidence that GEM-tested products contain the beta glucan dosage as labeled.”

GEM relies on selective enzymes that detect beta glucan and break it down to glucose while leaving other polysaccharides intact. Other methods of beta glucan analysis have a tendency to overestimate the actual beta glucan content of a product, as all polysaccharides tend to be broken down into glucose and classified as beta glucan during the analysis.