How is corn oil extracted from corn kernels?

Corn oil is extracted from the germ (embryo) of the corn kernel. During the milling process used to create products like meal or animal feed, the germ is separated from the rest of the kernel.1

Once separated, the germ is dried in a kiln. The extraction process then follows these steps:

• Pressing: The oil is removed from the dried germ using either a hydraulic or a screw press.1
• Solvent Extraction: The remaining pressed cake is washed with a solvent, typically hexane, to extract any remaining oil.1
• Recovery: The dissolved oil is recovered by evaporating the solvent.1

The final byproduct, known as oil cake, is ground and utilized as animal fodder.1