Process evaluation for wheat germ oil degumming

Abstract

The objectives of this study are to optimize a degumming process that will efficiently remove phospholipids from crude wheat germ oil (CWGO) with minimal oil loss and to examine the effect of degumming processes on oil quality and bioactive compounds naturally present in wheat germ oil (WGO). The following methods were used to remove phospholipids: water, acid (citric and phosphoric acids) and enzymatic (Lecitase Ultra and Lysomax) degumming processes. The phosphorus content was 1,860 mg/kg in hexane- extracted and 1,360 mg/kg in mechanically pressed CWGO. After the water degumming, about 56 and 23% phosphorus reduction were achieved in hexane- extracted and mechanically pressed WGO, respectively. Both citric and phosphoric acid degumming were less effective than water degumming and reduced the amount of phosphorus about 39 and 47% in hexane- extracted and 16 and 13% in mechanically extracted WGO, respectively. Enzymatic degumming, which decreased the amount of phosphorus content about 88, 84 and 69% in hexane- extracted WGO and 82, 78 and 53% in mechanically pressed CWGO using Lecitase Ultra, Lysomax, and Gumzyme, respectively. Lecitase Ultra was the most effective enzyme to reduce phospholipid content of both hexane-extracted and mechanically pressed CWGO. Enzymatic degumming significantly increased the FFA content of the oil. All degumming processes resulted in tocopherol loss.