Beta -glucan is a specific fiber-type complex
polysaccharide which can be derived from the cell
wall of baker’s yeast, oat and barley, and many
medicinal mushrooms such as Maitake and Lin Zhi. In
details, yeast and mushrooms contain a mixture of
beta -1,3-glucan and beta -1,6-glucan while oats
and barley contain a mixture of beta -1,3-glucan
and beta -1,4-glucan. However, similar (although not
identical) properties can be derived for β - glucanrich
extracts and purified β - glucan derived from
oats, baker’s yeast, and mushrooms.