Original scientific paper

Consecutive Aqueous Extractions of Wet-milled Corn Germ Cake

G. Kalman ; Department of Applied Biotechnology and Food Sciences
K. Reczey ; Department of Applied Biotechnology and Food Sciences

Abstract

Corn germ cake is an abundant and inexpensive residue of corn germ pressing. The permanent increase of corn processing – due to the recent growing demand for bioethanol – has resulted in a surplus of this by-product, making it unmarketable as feed. Our goal was to find an alternative way to utilize this by-product. We could successfully extract 86 % of the polysaccharide content of the squeezed germ by using only hot distilled water and 1 % dilute sulphuric acid consecutively. The 14.7 % oil content of the squeezed germ was concentrated to 46.25 % in the remaining solid fraction, which is high enough to be pressed. (Oil content of less than 20 % can only be extracted with organic solvents, which is not attractive for food safety and environmental reasons.) The sterol concentration of this oil was 8200 mg kg-1, which is significantly more than the sterol concentration of commercial germ oils (4500 mg kg-1).

Keywords

Pressed corn germ; dilute acid treatment; phytosterols; bioethanol; oil extraction

Hrčak ID:

24806

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/24806

Publication date:

24.6.2008.

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