Proximate composition of wheat germ based products

Wheat germ a byproduct of the flour milling industry appears to be a potential source of protein for human consumption besides being an excellent source of tocopherol, B group vitamins and oil. The nutritive value of wheat germ and of products prepared with its incorporation was analyzed. Three products, viz. chapati, chakli and biscuits were prepared with the incorporation of 25 g of wheat germ to the basic ingredients of each of the recipes. The results showed that wheat germ contained 5.1% moisture, 24.8% protein, 1.65% ash, 6.55% crude fat, 1.44% crude fiber and 60.49% carbohydrate. The protein content of the products ranged between 9.30 to 9.6%. Fat content varied widely and was found to be high in chakli (22.21%) and fairly low in chapati (2.25%). Wheat germ can be effectively added to commonly prepared wheat/refined wheat flour based products to improve the protein quality and augment the other nutrients.