Pressurized solvent extraction of wheat germ oil

This study examined the pressurized solvent extraction of wheat germ oil. The effects of temperature (45–135 °C at 1500 psi), extraction time, sample size and solvent type on the extraction efficiency and oil quality were studied. Extraction efficiency of the normal-hexane was compared to that of the iso- and high purity-hexane, iso-propanol, ethanol and acetone. The extracts were analyzed for n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid content. Pressurized solvent extraction reduced extraction time significantly as compared to Soxhlet extraction. The time required for complete oil recovery was dependent on the amount of wheat germ used for extraction. The amount of extract collected was highest when ethanol was used as a solvent for pressurized solvent extraction. Soxhlet and pressurized solvent extractions resulted in similar oil yields when hexane was used as a solvent. Fatty acid composition of the extracts was not affected by either temperature or extraction method. The experimental results indicate that a pressurized solvent extraction technique reduces solvent consumption and extraction time with no adverse effect on the extraction yield and fatty acid composition of the oil.