Wheat germ oil

Wheat plant & wheat grain

Wheat belongs to the genus Triticeae within the family of sweet grasses (Poaceae). The annual plant forms two to three dark green stalks with a height of up to one meter. At the end of each stalk there is an ear with spikelets and flowers. Compared to other sweet grasses, the ears are roundish and the leaf tubes are covered with cilia. The grains develop after self-pollination. About 25 to 40 grains are formed per spikelet. The thousand-grain mass is 40-65 grams.

Wheat is mainly known for its processing into bread and buns. The valuable wheat germ oil (Tritium Vulgare L.) is produced from the so-called heart of the wheat grain, the wheat germ. This makes up only 2-3% of the weight of the wheat grain. The grain consists of the endosperm, which makes up 90% of the total weight, the fruit and seed husk (bran) and the germ. Without the fertile germ, no new wheat can grow. Wheat germ oil is actually a by-product of flour production to extend the shelf life of flour. The wheat germ and endosperm are separated from each other in a complex process. The oil content of wheat germ is between 7 and 12%. In order to separate the oil from the germ, one uses the oil press. Here the wheat germ oil is either pressed (cold, warm) or extracted.

When growing wheat, a distinction is made between winter wheat and summer wheat. In Germany, 90% of the wheat is grown in winter. It tolerates frost down to -22°C and is sown in autumn. The demanding wheat requires heavy, nutrient-rich soils (clay or black earth) with a high water capacity.