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Cereal germ or Wheat germ: The germ of a
cereal A cereal is any grass cultivated for the edible components of its grain (botanically, a type of fruit called a caryopsis), composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran. Cereal grain crops are grown in greater quantities and provide more food e ...
is the reproductive part that germinates to grow into a plant; it is the embryo of the seed. Along with
bran Bran, also known as miller's bran, is the hard outer layers of cereal grain. It consists of the combined aleurone and pericarp. Corn (maize) bran also includes the pedicel (tip cap). Along with germ, it is an integral part of whole grains, ...
, germ is often a
by-product A by-product or byproduct is a secondary product derived from a production process, manufacturing process or chemical reaction; it is not the primary product or service being produced. A by-product can be useful and marketable or it can be consid ...
of the
milling Milling may refer to: * Milling (minting), forming narrow ridges around the edge of a coin * Milling (grinding), breaking solid materials into smaller pieces by grinding, crushing, or cutting in a mill * Milling (machining), a process of using rota ...
that produces refined grain products.
Cereal grain A cereal is any grass cultivated for the edible components of its grain (botanically, a type of fruit called a caryopsis), composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran. Cereal grain crops are grown in greater quantities and provide more food ...
s and their components, such as
wheat germ oil Wheat germ oil is extracted from the germ of the wheat kernel, which makes up only 2.5% by weight of the kernel Wheat germ oil is particularly high in octacosanol - a 28-carbon long-chain saturated primary alcohol found in a number of different ...
,
rice bran oil Rice bran oil is the oil extracted from the hard outer brown layer of rice called bran. It is known for its high smoke point of and mild flavor, making it suitable for high-temperature cooking methods such as stir frying and deep frying. It is ...
, and maize bran, may be used as a source from which vegetable oil is extracted, or used directly as a food ingredient. The germ is retained as an integral part of
whole-grain A whole grain is a grain of any cereal and pseudocereal that contains the endosperm, germ, and bran, in contrast to refined grains, which retain only the endosperm. As part of a general healthy diet, consumption of whole grains is associated wit ...
foods. Non-whole grain methods of milling are intended to isolate the endosperm, which is ground into flour, with removal of both the husk (bran) and the germ. Removal of bran is aimed at producing a flour with a white rather than a brown color, and eliminating fiber, which reduces nutrition. The germ is rich in polyunsaturated fats (which have a tendency to oxidize and become rancid on storage) and so germ removal improves the storage qualities of flour.


Wheat germ

Wheat germ or wheatgerm is a concentrated source of several essential nutrients, including
vitamin E Vitamin E is a group of eight fat soluble compounds that include four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. Vitamin E deficiency, which is rare and usually due to an underlying problem with digesting dietary fat rather than from a diet low in vit ...
, folate (folic acid), phosphorus,
thiamin Thiamine, also known as thiamin and vitamin B1, is a vitamin, an essential micronutrient, that cannot be made in the body. It is found in food and commercially synthesized to be a dietary supplement or medication. Phosphorylated forms of thia ...
, zinc, and magnesium, as well as essential fatty acids and
fatty alcohol Fatty alcohols (or long-chain alcohols) are usually high-molecular-weight, straight-chain primary alcohols, but can also range from as few as 4–6 carbons to as many as 22–26, derived from natural fats and oils. The precise chain length varies ...
s. It is a good source of fiber. White bread is made using flour that has had the germ and bran removed. Wheat germ can be added to
protein shake Bodybuilding supplements are dietary supplements commonly used by those involved in bodybuilding, weightlifting, mixed martial arts, and athletics for the purpose of facilitating an increase in lean body mass. Bodybuilding supplements may contain ...
s, casseroles,
muffin A muffin is an individually portioned baked product, however the term can refer to one of two distinct items: a part-raised flatbread (like a crumpet) that is baked and then cooked on a griddle (typically unsweetened), or an (often sweetened ...
s, pancakes,
cereal A cereal is any grass cultivated for the edible components of its grain (botanically, a type of fruit called a caryopsis), composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran. Cereal grain crops are grown in greater quantities and provide more food e ...
s, yogurt, smoothies, cookies, and other goods. Wheat germ can become rancid if not properly stored in a refrigerator or freezer and away from sunlight. Some manufacturers prevent rancidity by storing wheat germ in vacuum-sealed glass containers, or by placing an oxygen-absorbing sachet inside air-tight packaging.


Other uses

In molecular biology, wheat germ extract is used to carry out cell-free '' in vitro'' translation experiments since the plant embryo contains all the
macromolecular A macromolecule is a very large molecule important to biophysical processes, such as a protein or nucleic acid. It is composed of thousands of covalently bonded atoms. Many macromolecules are polymers of smaller molecules called monomers. The ...
components necessary for translating mRNA into proteins but relatively low levels of its own mRNA. Wheat germ is also useful in
biochemistry Biochemistry or biological chemistry is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology and ...
since it contains
lectins Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that are highly specific for sugar groups that are part of other molecules, so cause agglutination of particular cells or precipitation of glycoconjugates and polysaccharides. Lectins have a role in r ...
that bind strongly to certain glycoproteins; therefore, it can be used to isolate such proteins.


See also

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Endosperm The endosperm is a tissue produced inside the seeds of most of the flowering plants following double fertilization. It is triploid (meaning three chromosome sets per nucleus) in most species, which may be auxin-driven. It surrounds the embryo and ...
*
Health food A healthy diet is a diet that maintains or improves overall health. A healthy diet provides the body with essential nutrition: fluid, macronutrients such as protein, micronutrients such as vitamins, and adequate fibre and food energy. A health ...
*
Wheat germ oil Wheat germ oil is extracted from the germ of the wheat kernel, which makes up only 2.5% by weight of the kernel Wheat germ oil is particularly high in octacosanol - a 28-carbon long-chain saturated primary alcohol found in a number of different ...
*
Samanu Samanu ( fa, سمنو / ''samanu''; az, səməni halvası), Samanak ( fa, سمنک / ''samanak''), Sümelek ( kk, сүмелек / tm, Sümelek / ''Syumelek''), Sumanak ( tg, суманак), Sumalak ( uz, sumalak ) or Sümölök ( ky, с� ...


Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wheat germ Cereals Food ingredients