Wheat germ is a by‐product of wheat milling from which wheat germ oil (WGO) can be obtained using different techniques. For a better quality WGO, techniques such supercritical fluid fractionation, molecular distillation, and other innovative methods can be adopted. WGO is composed of nonpolar lipids, glycolipids, phospholipids, alcohols, esters, alkene, aldehydes, tocopherols, n‐alkanols, sterols, 4‐methyl sterols, triterpenols, hydrocarbons, pigments, and volatile components. The most abundant WGO fatty acid is linoleic acid which composes 42–59% of total triglycerides followed by palmitic (16:0) and oleic acids (18:1). The stearic acid, a saturated fatty acid, is usually less than 2%. WGO is rich in tocopherols particularly vitamin E. It contains α‐tocopherol and β‐tocopherol which gives various health benefits to it. It is being used in medicine, cosmetic, agricultural, and food industry. Some of its applications include production of vitamins and food supplements, animal feed and biological insect control and for treating circulatory/cardiac disorders and weaknesses. More studies are required for producing better quality WGO such as application of more innovative and optimized techniques that can increase its health benefits and hence utilization. More mechanistic approaches for extraction, evaluation, and utilization of WGO can help in making this by‐product of wheat processing more valuable. Practical application: Wheat is a major food crop around the globe and produced and processed in large quantities. Its by‐products such as wheat germ can be used to obtain value added products. Oil obtained from wheat germ is found to be a good source of various nutritionally beneficial constituents and carry important health benefits and functional properties. The review will help researchers to carry out further research to improve processing and the quality of oil besides emphasizing on its beneficial aspects. It will also assist in better utilization of this wheat by‐product to develop value added products and nutraceuticals after carrying out further studies. Wheat germ oil is a valuable by‐product from wheat grain which is a good source of important nutraceuticals such as α‐ and β‐tocopherol. Extraction of this oil from wheat germ is important for the effective utilization of its various potential nutraceuticals that have reported health benefits. This review also explains detailed chemical composition, processing, functional activities, and potential utilization of wheat germ oil.

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In the present study, a facile environmentally friendly approach was described to prepare monodisperse iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (IONPs) by low temperature solution route. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using x-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) measurements, Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) analyses. XRD patterns revealed high crystalline quality of the nanoparticles. SEM micrographs showed the monodispersed IONPs with size ranging from 6 to 9 nm. Synthesized nanoparticles demonstrated MICs of 32, 64, and 128 μg/ml against Gram negative bacteria i.e., Serratia marcescens, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively, and 32 μg/ml against Gram positive bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. IOPNs at its respective sub-MICs demonstrated significant reduction of alginate and exopolysaccharide production and subsequently demonstrated broad-spectrum inhibition of biofilm ranging from 16 to 88% in the test bacteria. Biofilm reduction was also examined using SEM and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM). Interaction of IONPs with bacterial cells generated ROS contributing to reduced biofilm formation. The present study for the first time report that these IONPs were effective in obliterating pre-formed biofilms. Thus, it is envisaged that these nanoparticles with broad-spectrum biofilm inhibitory property could be exploited in the food industry as well as in medical settings to curtail biofilm based infections and losses.

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The increase in β-lactam-resistant Gram-negative bacteria is a severe recurrent problem in the food industry for both producers and consumers. The development of nanotechnology and nanomaterial applications has transformed many features in food science. The antibacterial activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and their mechanism of action on β-lactam-resistant Gram-negative food pathogens, such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Serratia marcescens, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis, are investigated in the present paper. The study results demonstrate that ZnO NPs possesses broad-spectrum action against these β-lactamase-producing strains. The minimal inhibitory and minimal bactericidal concentrations vary from 0.04 to 0.08 and 0.12 to 0.24 mg/mL, respectively. The ZnO NPs elevate the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde in the bacterial cells as membrane lipid peroxidation. It has been confirmed from the transmission electron microscopy image of the treated bacterial cells that ZnO NPs diminish the permeable membrane, denature the intracellular proteins, cause DNA damage, and cause membrane leakage. Based on these findings, the action of ZnO NPs has been attributed to the fact that broad-spectrum antibacterial action against β-lactam-resistant Gram-negative food pathogens is mediated by Zn2+ ion-induced oxidative stress, actions via lipid peroxidation and membrane damage, subsequently resulting in depletion, leading to β-lactamase enzyme inhibition, intracellular protein inactivation, DNA damage, and eventually cell death. Based on the findings of the present study, ZnO NPs can be recommended as potent broad-spectrum antibacterial agents against β-lactam-resistant Gram-negative pathogenic strains.