noun
- Plural of aleurone; protein-rich granules found in plant seeds and grains, especially in the outer layer of cereal grains.
Usage: technical; botany; food science
Examples
- The aleurones in wheat grains contain enzymes that are activated during germination.
- Aleurones are particularly abundant in the bran layer of rice and barley.
- During milling, the aleurones are often removed from refined grains.
- The aleurones play an important role in seed nutrition and development.
- Researchers studied how aleurones respond to water uptake in sprouting seeds.