16 de April, 2025
By

Wheat Germ: A Nutrient-Rich Superfood

Wheat germ is the most nutritious part of the wheat grain, notable for its high concentration of essential nutrients. Rich in high-quality proteins, dietary fiber, and vitamins E and B-complex, wheat germ is a key ingredient for a healthy diet.​

Compared to conventional wheat flour, wheat germ offers significantly higher nutrient concentrations:​

  • More than double the protein content;
  • Higher levels of beneficial lipids, including essential fatty acids;
  • Much greater mineral richness, such as iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc.​

Due to its nutritional richness, wheat germ is widely used in human nutrition and can be incorporated into various preparations, such as breaded foods, meatballs, breads, and other baked goods. Wheat germ oil is also highly valued for its high vitamin E content and antioxidant properties.​

Thanks to its nutritional profile, wheat germ contains:​

  • High-quality proteins, essential for cell regeneration and muscle mass maintenance.
  • Dietary fiber, which aids digestive system function and cholesterol control.
  • B-complex vitamins, crucial for energy metabolism and nervous system function.
  • Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that combats free radicals and prevents cellular aging.
  • Minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus, indispensable for bodily balance.​

Due to its high nutritional density, wheat germ is an excellent addition to various food applications.​

Main Benefits

  • Source of essential nutrients: Its richness in proteins, fiber, and vitamins promotes overall health.
  • Antioxidant properties: The presence of compounds like vitamin E and carotenoids helps combat free radicals and prevent cellular aging.
  • Culinary versatility: It can be used in various recipes, adding nutritional value to a variety of food products.​

Thermal Treatment

The Better Foods Group stands out for its use of advanced technologies in the thermal treatment of flours and ingredients. The thermal treatment applied to wheat germ is an innovative process that optimizes its nutritional and functional properties, providing several benefits:​

  • Product stabilization: Heat inactivates enzymes responsible for lipid oxidation, preventing germ degradation and extending its shelf life.
  • Reduction of microbial load: Thermal treatment eliminates microorganisms, reducing product moisture and ensuring greater food safety.
  • Improvement of organoleptic properties: Thermal treatment enhances the flavor and aroma of wheat germ, making it more palatable and expanding its applications in the food industry.
  • Functionality enhancement: Starch gelatinization increases water absorption capacity, resulting in more stable doughs with better texture, benefiting baking and other industrial applications.​

Through this process, the Better Foods Group reinforces its commitment to innovation and quality, providing technologically advanced ingredients that meet the demands of the food industry and consumers seeking healthy and functional products.​

Applications in the Food Industry

Thermally treated wheat germ is a versatile ingredient, suitable for incorporation into various food formulations to enrich products with superior nutritional value. Key applications include:​

  • Baking and pastry – Incorporating wheat germ improves the texture, flavor, and nutritional profile of breads, cakes, cookies, and other baked goods.
  • Breakfast cereals and energy bars – Contributes proteins and fiber, making products more nutritionally balanced, more satiating, and suitable for a healthy lifestyle.
  • Meat industry and ready meals – Can be used as a partial substitute for refined flours in breaded foods, meatballs, hamburgers, and other preparations, adding nutritional value and improving consistency and moisture retention.
  • Supplements and functional products – Thanks to its high vitamin E content and antioxidant compounds, thermally treated wheat germ is an ideal ingredient for products focused on well-being and preventive nutrition.​

The Better Foods group is the largest milling group in Portugal, producing high-quality cereal flours and food ingredients with the important mission of sustaining the foundation of Portuguese nutrition and beyond borders.

Founded in 2018, the group consists of four cereal milling factories, that process various types of grains, a frozen products company, specializing in the distribution of bakery and pastry items, and two logistics complexes responsible for distribution throughout the national territory, as well as in Galicia and Andalusia. It is, therefore, one of the most important B2B groups in the food sector in Portugal, dedicated to cereal processing and the production of everyday foods.