CHRISTCHURCH NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18355, 28 August 1929, Page 8

CHRISTCHURCH NEWS.

(Trow Otr Own Oorr*§poud*nt CHRISTCHURCH, August 27. Wheat Oil. On a scale which is believed to be larger than that attempted in any other part of the world, a beginning will be made to-morrow with the extraction of wheat oil at the Wheat Research Institute’s laboratory in Christchurch. The extraction work is being carried out by Mr H. E. West, the Institute’s chemist. The oil is being prepared for the veterinary division of the Department of Agriculture, to be used in connection with its antisterility work on farm animals. The new plant consists of a solvent container, an extractor container to hold 200 lb. of wheat germ, and a condenser. The solvent chamber holds about twenty gallons of fat solvent. Once the charge is in, the operation is automatic. A new charge of 2001 b. of wheat germ is put in each day, and after a week’s work there is sufficient concentrate of fat in the solvent. The solvent, with the fat in it, is then taken out and purified under a vacuum. The residual matter contains about 2 per cent, of oil, and is extremely high in ash mineral matter and protein. The residue, after the wheat oil has been taken off, makes an excellent animal food, as has been proved by experiments. The wheat germ is a by-product of the flour mills, the germ being taken out of the wheat before the latter is made into flour. About a hundred gallons of oil will be extracted at the laboratory. For this, will be required some five tons of wheat germ, which about 250 tons of wheat will supply.