Abstract Wheat germ is a valuable by-product of the wheat milling process, represents 10-15% lipid contents with other bioactive compounds. Various wheat germ oil (WGO) recovery methods have been adopted, including mechanical pressing, solvent extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction.
Why is germ removed during the milling process?
During the milling process of wheat, its germ is removed to increase the shelf-stability of flour, which can be compromised by the rapid degradation of germ due to the presence of enzymes (i.e., lipoxygenase and lipase) and a high content of easily oxidised unsaturated oils.
How to recover wheat germ oil?
Various wheat germ oil (WGO) recovery methods have been adopted, including mechanical pressing, solvent extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction. Some modifications reported by different experimental studies to enhance the oil yield retain the nutritional attributes of fresh oil.
Can defatted wheat germs be used to Sta-bilize wheat germ?
However, Jurkovic and Colic (1993) proposed defatting, roasting, or drying to sta-bilize wheat germ. Importantly, defatted wheat germs protein concentrates are shelf-stable and can be applied to food products that require prolonged shelf life (Siraj, 2022).