Antioxidant activity of extracts from roasted wheat germ

Solvents extracts of roasted wheat germ, an actual waste stream of wheat processing, retarded the autoxidation of corn oil stored at 60 degrees C. Best stabilisation of stripped corn oil was obtained with an ethanolic extract (antioxidative extract, AGE) from wheat germ that was roasted at 160 degrees C for 20 min. Even high dosages of 20 and 40% AOE did not show prooxidative effects. Using accelerated ageing of commercial plant oils, and peroxide value, conjugated diene hydroperoxide concentration and cc-tocopherol concentration as analytical indicators, a significant improvement of storability was demonstrated for each oil. Results indicate the presence of classes I and II antioxidants in ethanolic AOE of wheat germ. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.