Corn germ is a substantial byproduct of the wet milling and alcohol industry of corn. Corn germ (dry) contains 35–56 % oil, with linoleic acid (C18:2) being the predominant fatty acid (49–61.9 %) and the highest level of tocopherol and phytosterol amongst all vegetable oils, which is a cost-effective resource for healthy nutritious oil.
How is corn germ oil extracted from milled corn germ?
Corn germ oil was extracted from milled corn germ using diluted aqueous ethanol as solvent. Batch extractions were carried out in 500 mL glass reactor vessels which were series connected with a constant temperature water bath machine (MP-501 A, Shanghai Yiheng Scientific Instrument Co., Ltd., China).
Is corn germ hard to process?
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.
Can corn germs be milled before oil extraction?
Grinding oilseeds prior to oil extraction may enlarge the interface between material particles and aqueous solvent or enzyme, and then enhance free oil yield. In previous research, colloid milling was employed to mill corn germs (Dickey et al. 2010 ). In this study, a dry milling method was developed to grind corn germ.