The exact origin of bokashi is unknown, but it is a fermented grain made from a process of anaerobic fermentation used for composting and to enhance growing systems around the world. Most often a form of wheat bran is used as a medium that gets inoculated with a diverse array of healthy microbes, yeasts, bacterias and actinomycetes known as Efficient Microbes or EM-1. This then gets cured in a drying process and can be used to enhance soil and plant health by adding life and making nutrients more bio-available. 

In the 1980’s in Okinawa, Japan a microbiologist, Dr. Teguo Higa observed the effects of naturally occurring bacteria and yeasts on soil and plants. Based on his learnings, he developed a concoction called, Effective Microorganisms 1 or EM-1. He noticed that when used on rotting vegetables, there were no odors and similarly when sprinkled on animal excrements from livestock pens, smells were eliminated. Later on, Dr. Higa learned of the Efficient Microbe's ability to ferment food waste without foul smells and to break down chemical pollutants into more inert forms. His research led to the widespread use of EM-1 for many uses including to remove mold, mildew, chemicals and even oil from homes.

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We find that EM1 is the best source of microbiological inoculant there is as it creates diversely populated and nutrient dense bokashi bran.