Wheat germ oil
Wheat germ oil is pressed or solvent-extracted from wheat germ, the embryo separated from the kernel during flour milling. It is rich in linoleic acid and naturally high in tocopherols, and it contains octacosanol and other minor components that some buyers specify. It is sold as cold-pressed oil for supplements and cosmetics and as refined oil, and because the germ goes rancid fast it must be pressed soon after milling.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Oil pressed from fresh germ and filtered, the grade used for softgels and natural cosmetics.
Higher-yield oil extracted with hexane and refined, used where flavor and color must be mild.
Oil sold against a minimum tocopherol (vitamin E) or octacosanol content.
Oil from organic wheat germ, usually cold-pressed.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Store sealed, cool and away from light; many suppliers recommend refrigeration once opened. The oil oxidizes and develops a strong odor as it ages. Shelf life is set by the supplier specification, and peroxide value is retested on older stock.
Tocopherol content and color vary with germ freshness and processing, so record tocopherol and oxidation results for each lot. Rotate first-expiry, first-out and do not mix old and new lots in one tank.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
Health Canada's Fixed Oil Products - Oral monograph lists wheat germ oil from the seed germ of Triticum aestivum.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Triticum aestivum (POL-NF-00759) lists wheat seeds, bran and germ oil, among other parts, as not novel in food.
Source: ec.europa.eu (opens in a new tab)FDA lists wheat among the major food allergens; its page also says FDA's enforcement of allergen labeling does not include highly refined oils.
Source: fda.gov (opens in a new tab)This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
Manufacturer · Deerfield, IL
Sells it as Lipovol WGO-N
US oleochemical producer whose personal care unit (which absorbed Jeen International) sources, blends and refines natural oils and butters in cosmetic, food and pharma grades, and makes glycerin.
Suppliers are in alphabetical order and none pays to appear. Each claim is checked against the supplier’s own website on the date shown. Ask for the specification sheet and a recent COA before you order, and confirm details with the supplier.
Common forms include cold-pressed oil, solvent-extracted, refined oil, standardized grades and organic. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect fatty acid profile, tocopherols, peroxide and anisidine values, free fatty acids and residual solvents and pesticides, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Store sealed, cool and away from light; many suppliers recommend refrigeration once opened. The oil oxidizes and develops a strong odor as it ages. Shelf life is set by the supplier specification, and peroxide value is retested on older stock.
Health Canada's Fixed Oil Products - Oral monograph lists wheat germ oil from the seed germ of Triticum aestivum. The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Triticum aestivum (POL-NF-00759) lists wheat seeds, bran and germ oil, among other parts, as not novel in food. FDA lists wheat among the major food allergens; its page also says FDA's enforcement of allergen labeling does not include highly refined oils.
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