But because corn germ can be notoriously tough to process, it requires the right extraction equipment to press oil efficiently to get optimal returns. Here’s what you need to know about processing corn germ to capitalize on the commercial value of its oil. Whole corn kernels only contain a small amount of fat, around 5% by weight.
How is corn oil made?
The germs, containing about 85 percent of corn’s oil, are pumped onto screens and washed repeatedly to remove any starch left in the mixture. A combination of mechanical and solvent processes extracts the oil from the germ. The oil is then refined and filtered into finished corn oil.
What is a corn refining process?
It is the goal of the corn refining process to separate each component and then further refine it into specific products. Corn arrives at the refining facility by truck, barge or railcar. Refinery staff inspect arriving corn shipments and clean them twice to remove pieces of cob, dust, chaff, and foreign materials.
How much oil does corn germ contain?
Here’s what you need to know about processing corn germ to capitalize on the commercial value of its oil. Whole corn kernels only contain a small amount of fat, around 5% by weight. But the germ that remains after the starch is removed through wet processing can contain up to 50% oil by weight.