EM™ is an acronym coined by its developer, Dr. Teruo Higa, consisting of the initial letters of "Effective Microorganisms™". As a commercial product, it is marketed and sold as "EM•1®" by our authorized licensees around the globe.

EM•1® is a liquid containing many co-existing microorganisms. The major groups of microorganisms in EM•1® are lactic acid bacteria, yeast and phototrophic bacteria. EM™ was first developed in 1982 as an alternative to chemicals in the field of agriculture. Through extensive research and experiments over time, EM™ became recognized as effective in various fields, including environmental remediation, composting organic waste, reducing odor in livestock operations, treating wastewater and many more. We call the technology that utilizes EM•1®, EM Technology™.