Currently, commercial corn germ oil is produced by pressing and/or hexane extraction (Moreau and Hicks 2005 ), in which oil is obtained from conditioned (heated) germs, followed by mechanically expelled (‘pre-pressed’) and then hexane extraction (Moreau 2011 ).
How to extract oil from corn germ during flour processing?
This work aimed the recovery of oil and protein fractions from corn germ (CG) generated as a by-product during flour processing. Several oil extraction techniques were investigated: hexane at room temperature, hexane at 45 °C, supercritical carbon dioxide (Sc-CO 2) and Soxhlet with hexane and ethanol.
What is corn germ?
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 extracted?
The germs were kept in paper bags in the darkened room. The moisture content in the corn germ, determined by drying germ to constant weight at 105 °C, was 3.3 g/100 g. Before oil extraction, the corn germ was ground by a domestic grinder (Braun, Germany) for 2 min.