CanolaSupp_06.

qxd 7/24/06 1:33 PM Page 1

A Supplement to Food Product Design

CanolaSupp_06.qxd 7/24/06 1:34 PM Page 2

By Elaine Knehr
Contributing Editor
CanolaSupp_06.qxd 7/24/06 1:34 PM Page 3

Canola oil, distinguished by its beneficial fat profile, light flavor and versatility, is
increasingly popular with consumers, chefs and food product designers around the
world. With plentiful supplies and ongoing research, the North American canola
industry is well positioned to address growing market needs.

Cultivating canola
Once considered a specialty crop
in Canada, canola has evolved into a
major North American cash crop.
Canada and the United States produce
between 7 and 10 million metric tons
(tonnes) of canola seed per year.
Annual Canadian exports total 3 to 4
million metric tons of the seed,
700,000 metric tons of canola oil and
1 million metric tons of canola meal.
The United States is a net consumer of
canola oil. The major customers of
canola seed are Japan, Mexico, China
and Pakistan, while the bulk of canola
oil and meal goes to the United States,
with smaller amounts shipped to
Mexico, China and Europe.
Canola was developed through
conventional plant breeding from
rapeseed, an oilseed plant with roots
in ancient civilization. The word
rape in rapeseed comes from the
Latin word rapum, meaning turnip.
Turnip, rutabaga, cabbage, Brussels
sprouts, mustard and many other veg-
etables are related to the two canola
species commonly grown: Brassica
napus and Brassica rapa.
Thousands of years ago, Asians and
Europeans used rapeseed oil in lamps.
As time progressed, people employed
it as a cooking oil and added it to
foods. Its use was limited until the
development of steam power, when
machinists found rapeseed oil clung to
water- and steam-washed metal sur-
faces better than other lubricants.
World War II saw high demand for the
oil as a lubricant for the rapidly
increasing number of steam engines in
naval and merchant ships. When the
war blocked European and Asian
sources of rapeseed oil, a critical short-
age developed and Canada began to
expand its limited rapeseed production.
Following World War II, demand
for rapeseed oil lubricants decreased
and focus shifted to developing a
food-oriented market for the oil.
Entrepreneurs and researchers in
western Canada devised the neces-
sary processing techniques and
extracted the first edible rapeseed oil
in 1956 to 1957. Some questions
arose about the nutritional aspects of
the oil, which contained high
amounts of eicosenoic and erucic
acids, fatty acids not essential for
human growth. Additionally, live-
stock nutritionists were concerned
with the sharp-tasting, antinutritive
glucosinolates found in the protein-
meal fraction.
In the early 1960s, Canadian plant
breeders isolated rapeseed plants with
low eicosenoic and erucic acid con-
tent. At the recommendation of
Canadas Health and Welfare
Department, production began to shift
to low erucic acid rapeseed varieties.
In 1974, the late Baldur Stefansson,
Ph.D., a plant breeder in the
Department of Plant Science,
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg,
developed the first double-low vari-
ety, containing lower levels of both
erucic acid and glucosinolates. This B.
napus variety, Tower, was the first to
possess the specific nutritional profile
used to identify a significantly
improved crop that was to become
known as canola.
In 1979, this double-low rapeseed
was named canola, an amalgam of
Canadian oil. Canola is defined by
Codex Alimentarius as: ...an oil that
must contain less than 2% erucic acid,
and the solid component of the seed
must contain less than 30 micromoles
of any one or any mixture of 3-
butenyl glucosinolate, 4-pentenyl glu-
cosinolate, 2-hydroxy-3 butenyl glu-
cosinolate, and 2-hydroxy-4-pentenyl
glucosinolate per gram of air-dry, oil-
free solid. Canola oil sold today typ-
ically contains less than 0.2% erucic
acid and less than 15 micromoles of
glucosinolates.
CanolaSupp_06.qxd 7/24/06 1:34 PM
Beginning in the early 1960s, Canadian
agricultural scientist Keith Downey,
Ph.D., played a major role in the
development of canola varieties.
No longer just a Canadian term,
canola enjoys worldwide recognition
and the name is commonly used
by other countries, including the
United States, Japan and Australia.
The FDA has given canola oil GRAS
status and the Codex Alimentarius
recognizes canola as the common
name for low erucic acid, low glu-
cosinolate rapeseed.
From its beginnings in western
Canada, canola has developed into a
global product and consumers
throughout the world include canola
oil in their diets. In Canada, over 50%
of the vegetable oil consumed is
canola oil, Japans use rate is also
over 50% and Mexicos is 25%.
Page 4
Canola oil is the second most con-
sumed oil in the United States (after
soybean), claiming 7.5% of the edi-
ble-oil market.
The role of healthy fat
For nearly two decades, North
Americans have been told to eat less
fat. The mantra was high-fat diets
contribute to extra pounds, obesity
and chronic diseases such as heart
disease, cancer and diabetes.
However, in the drive to reduce
dietary fat, consumers often overlook
an important fact: the human body
needs fat for good health. Fat pro-
vides the body with energy, warmth
and protection to vital organs. In
foods, fats carry flavors, aromas and
the fat-soluble vitamins; supply
essential fatty acids; enhance palata-
bility; and promote the feeling of sati-
ety. Everyone needs good fat in the
daily diet. And canola oil provides
good fat.
Fat is a building block. Fat in the
form of phospholipids is the basic
structure of cells in the human body.
Fat helps the body absorb essential
vitamins. The fat-soluble vitamins A,
D, E and K, and the carotenoids (beta
carotene, lycopene and lutein) are
found in the fats and oils of foods.
The body absorbs these essential
nutrients better when the diet con-
tains some fat. For example, fruits
and vegetables, which are naturally
low in fat, contain carotenoids.
Adding as little as 5 grams of fat, the
amount found in 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of
canola oil, to a meal ensures the
digestion and absorption of the
carotenoids present in the food.
Some fats are essential, meaning the
body cannot make them. Two essential
fatty acids are alpha-linolenic acid
(ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid, and
linoleic acid (LA), an omega-6 fatty
acid. A significant amount of research
links omega-3 fatty acids to a reduced
risk of heart disease and stroke, while
omega-6 fatty acids are important for
brain function and essential for the
growth and development of infants.
Some fats help control blood glu-
cose. People with type 2 diabetes typ-
ically adhere to low-fat, high-carbo-
hydrate diets to manage their blood
glucose. Recent research, including
Dietary Management in Patients with
Type 2 Diabetes in the Jan. 15, 2000
issue of American Family Physician,
indicates that when people with type 2
diabetes follow diets rich in monoun-
saturated fatsregimens where
monounsaturated fats were substituted
for saturated fatstriglyceride, blood
glucose and blood insulin levels
decrease. Canola oil is a good source
of monounsaturated fats.
The key to fat intake is modera-
tion. The USDAs Dietary Guide-
lines for Americans recommends:
Consume less than 10% of calories
from saturated fatty acids and less
than 300 mg/day of cholesterol,and
keep trans fatty acid consumption as
low as possible. Keep total fat intake
between 20% to 35% of calories with
most fats coming from sources of
polyunsaturated and monounsaturat-
ed fatty acids, such as fish, nuts and
vegetable oils. Canola oil is men-
tioned as rich in monounsaturated
fatty acids and as a source of omega-
3 fatty acids.
Fat is important for good health,
says Janice Bissex, R.D., co-author of
The Moms Guide to Meal
Makeovers: Improving the Way Your
Family Eats, One Meal at a Time!
and co-founder of www.meal
makeovermoms.com. To get the most
benefit from dietary fat, consumers
need to choose healthy fats, like
canola oil.
Canola oil provides good fat
All fats are not created equal and
canola oil is among the most nutri-
tionally balanced of all popular cook-
ing oils. As depicted in the accompa-
nying chart, Comparison of Dietary
Fats, canola oil possesses a more
CanolaSupp_06.qxd 7/24/06 1:34 PM Page 5
favorable fatty-acid profile than all
other vegetable oils. It is low in
unhealthy saturated fatty acids, and
high in oleic acid, a healthy monoun-
saturated fat (MUFA) and alpha-
linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3
polyunsaturated fatty acid. In addi-
tion, canola oil is trans fat free and
cholesterol free. Refined canola oil
contains 270 g of alpha-tocopherol
(vitamin E), twice the level of both
corn and soybean oil.
Canola oil contains 7% saturated
fat, the lowest level of all vegetable
oils. Thats a major plus, because nutri-
tionists consider saturated and trans
fatty acids to be bad fats, based on
research studies linking their consump-
tion to coronary heart disease (CHD).
Most saturated fatty acids raise low-
density lipoprotein (LDL, bad) cho-
lesterol, a major risk factor in CHD
(stearic acid might prove an exception,
although more research is needed).
Trans fatty acids are formed in
vegetable oils when an oil is partial-
ly hydrogenated, the process of
adding hydrogen to fats to make
them function more like a saturated
fat. In addition to increasing LDL
cholesterol, trans fats lower high-
density lipoprotein (HDL, good)
cholesterol, producing an undesirable
rise in the ratio of total cholesterol to
HDL cholesterol. An increase in this
ratio is associated with a higher risk
of CHD. While all processed oils
contain very small levels of trans
fatty acids, North American govern-
ment regulatory authorities define
canola oil as zero trans fat.
Canola oil is high (61%) in MUFA
oleic acid, which has beneficial health
effects. MUFAs contribute to heart
health while also helping to control
blood glucose. Oleic acid has been
shown to reduce serum cholesterol and
LDL cholesterol levels, without
impacting the HDL cholesterol level. It
has also been observed that popula-
tions adhering to the so-called
Mediterranean diet, generally charac-
terized as high in MUFAs, have a rela-
tively low incidence of CHD.
Canola oil is a good source (11%) of
ALA. ALAs ability to reduce the risk
of heart disease was evidenced in the
Lyon Diet Health Study (The Lancet,
Vol. 343, June 11, 1994). This clinical
study compared a low-ALA diet with a
Mediterranean-type diet that was rich
in ALA derived mainly from canola-
oil-based margarine. At the end of the
study, the group on the high-ALA diet
had lower blood LDL cholesterol and
higher blood HDL cholesterol than the
control group. The high-ALA diet was
linked with a 70% reduction in coro-
nary events and cardiac deaths.
CanolaSupp_06.qxd 7/24/06 1:34 PM
Standard canola seed now contains
42% to 43% oil. The canola industry
supports extensive research to
increase the oil content significantly
within the next decade.
Besides lowering LDL cholesterol,
ALA is important for its effect on other
risk factors for CHD, states Bruce
McDonald, Ph.D., senior scholar and
professor emeritus in Human
Nutritional Sciences at the University
of Manitoba. For example, studies
indicate that it may alter blood clotting
activity and protect against cardiac
arrhythmias.
ALA also helps protect against
stroke. As documented in the June
1992 issue of Experimental Biology
and Medicine, in the Multiple Risk
Factor Intervention Trial, a study
involving more than 12,000 men aged
35 to 57 years, those consuming an
ALA-rich diet had a lower risk of
stroke, even when risk factors like
smoking and high blood pressure
were taken into account.
Page 6
Canola oil has the highest level
of ALA (omega-3 fatty acids) of all
the major culinary oils, with 1 table-
spoon containing 1.3 grams, says
Bissex. The Institute of Medicine rec-
ommends a daily ALA omega-3
intake of 1.6 grams for men and 1.1
grams for women.
In addition to acting as a good
source of ALA, canola oils 2:1 ratio
of omega-6 LA to ALA is nutritional-
ly preferred. Canola oil contains a
moderate amount (22%) of LA.
Research suggests that the ratio of
omega-6 (LA) and omega-3 (ALA) is
important for health benefits, and
there is some concern with the rela-
tively high intake of linoleic acid in
many diets, adds McDonald.
The crushing and extraction
processes utilized by the canola
industry today produce very little
change to the fatty-acid profile.
Canola oil can help achieve a favor-
able balance of these two fatty acids.
Todays Western diet has an LA to
ALA ratio ranging from about 10:1 to
25:1. Health Canada recommends that
this range be shifted to 4:1 to 10:1.
Vitamin E, an essential nutrient that
must be supplied by the diet, is a natu-
ral antioxidant that helps protect the
bodys fats and proteins from free rad-
ical damage, and may reduce the risk
of heart disease, cancer and memory
loss. Found mainly in vegetable oils,
nuts, whole grains and egg yolks, vita-
min E has a Reference Daily Intake of
30 I.U. Canola oil contains 3.6 I.U. of
vitamin E per tablespoon (15 ml) com-
pared to soybean at 1.9 I.U. and extra-
virgin olive oil at 2.6 I.U.
Overall, canola is the best oil
nutritionally, making it a wise choice
when selecting dietary fat, says
Bissex. Plus, its neutral flavor
allows it to be easily used in a wide
variety of foods.
Canola processing industry
Canola seeds are crushed into two
component parts: oil and meal. The oil
and meal are then further manufac-
tured into a wide variety of products.
The United States and Canadian
oilseed processing industry, which is
sometimes called the crushing indus-
try, currently consists of 15 crushing
and refining/packaging plants, owned
by five companies. Annual primary
crushing capacity for all plants totals
about 5 million metric tons of canola
seed; 5 million metric tons of canola
seed produces approximately 2 mil-
lion metric tons of canola oil and 3
million metric tons of canola meal.
CanolaSupp_06.qxd 7/24/06 1:34 PM Page 7

Canola oil is lowest in unhealthy

saturated fatty acids and high in oleic
acid, a healthy monounsaturated
fatty acid (MUFA), and alpha-linolenic
acid (ALA), an omega-3 polyunsaturated
fatty acid (PUFA).

The production of edible vegetable

oils including canola oil involves two
processes, mechanical pressing and
solvent extraction, plus further pro-
cessing to remove natural impurities.
The techniques used are similar for
most vegetable oils produced from the
seeds of plants. The crushing and
extraction processes utilized by the
canola industry today produce very lit-
tle change to the fatty-acid profile of
the oil and the nutritional qualities of
the meal.
Most canola is grown as a com-
modity crop, meaning that canola
seed is commingled and not separated
by variety or other specific traits.
Following harvest, canola seed is pur-
chased by American and Canadian
processors on the basis of grading
standards set by the National Institute
of Oilseed Processors in the United
States and by the Canadian Grain
Commission in Canada. A number of
criteria are used to grade canola seed,
including the requirement that the Following preconditioning, canola into which the oil is sold generally
seed must meet the canola standard seed is crushed and flaked to maxi- dictates which form of extraction will
with respect to erucic acid and glu- mize oil recovery. The canola flakes be used.
cosinolate levels. are then prepressed in screw press- Hexane is the extraction medium
Graded seed is cleaned to ensure es or expellers to reduce the oil con- used for most canola oil sold into the
that the seed is free of extraneous tent from about 42% in the seed (on commodity grocery chain market as
plant and other foreign material which an 8% moisture basis) to between well as to the food industry. Hexane
is referred to in the industry as dock- 16% and 20%. Screw pressing com- extraction reduces the oil content of
age. Seed generally contains less presses the flakes into denser cakes the press cake to very low levels. Oil
than 2.5% dockage following the (called press cake) to facilitate oil recovery from canola seed is approx-
cleaning process. Seed that has been extraction. imately 96% when this form of
cleaned is ready for export or for The press cake is subjected to one extraction is used. This is accom-
crushing into canola oil and meal. of two types of oil extraction to plished by maximizing contact of the
Seed which will be processed for oil remove most of the remaining oil. Oil hexane with the press cake through a
and meal is preconditioned using mild may be extracted using either hexane series of soakings or washings. All
heat treatment, and moisture levels (solvent) extraction or by cold residual hexane in the extracted press
are adjusted to improve subsequent oil pressing (also referred to as cake and oil is removed through low
extraction. expeller pressing). The end-market temperature evaporation.
CanolaSupp_06.qxd 7/24/06 1:34 PM Page 8
D
esigning successful products is a matter of iden-
tifying consumer needs and then satisfying those
needs. With more consumers focusing on the
amount of saturated and trans fats in their foods, there is
a growing need for products with improved fatty-acid pro-
files that also deliver the expected sensory attributes.
Many food processors are turning to canola to successful-
ly satisfy this demand.
McCain Foods is a multifaceted, global food proces-
sor, states Kevin Flanagan, director R&D, McCain Foods,
Florenceville, New Brunswick. We have used canola
products for years in a variety of applications including
french fries and other potato products, pizza, and desserts.
Canola allows us to give consumers what they want from
todays products: good-for-you foods with exceptional
sensory attributes.
The company relies on canola oil for the production of
consistent, high-quality products that are low in saturated
fat and trans free. With canola oil, there is no compromis-
ing the crispness, color and flavor of our deep-fried potato
products, continues Flanagan. Unlike some other oils that
have a characteristic taste, canolas neutral profile does not
interfere with the flavor of the end product. The new high-
oleic/high-stability canola is an excellent frying oil and offers
the foodservice operator an immediate reduction in trans
and saturated fat.
The spotlight has been shining on trans fats for some
time now. About two years ago, we decided to eliminate
trans fat from all of our baked goods, says John Bol, prod-
uct development specialist, Voortman, Burlington, Ontario.
By switching to canola, we have been able to improve the
nutritional quality of our cookies and wafers while main-
taining the taste our customers expect.
The company uses a blend of canola oil and palm oil frac-
tions to achieve the end-product qualities previously supplied
by hydrogenated fats. Naturally trans-free palm is high in sat-
urates and provides the functionalities of a hard fat. By blend-
ing canola oil with palm oil, we keep the saturated fat level
low, notes Bol. All of our products meet the Canadian
requirement to make a zero-trans claim, which is a maximum
of 2 grams saturated fat plus
trans-fat per 30 gram serving.
Spreads have benefited
from canola oil. Canola
brings many benefits to fat
systems, including a healthy
fatty-acid profile, neutral
taste and good stability,
states Eric Hunter, Canbra
Foods Ltd., Lethbridge, Alberta. Our extensive line of
canola oils and margarines and shortenings that contain
canola oil is evolving to address the growing
demand for no trans fats.
The company markets its products under the
Canola Harvest brand. Retail items include oil and
margarine, with the margarine made from a blend
of canola oil and other oils, such as sunflower or
palm. All are nonhydrogenated and virtually trans
free. Industrial products consist of standard and
high-oleic oil, as well as shortenings and margarines
that range from traditional hydrogenated products
to zero-trans alternatives.
We can help our customers decide which prod-
uct from our lineup will best meet their objectives,
states Hunter. For example, for a finished product
such as cookies to be labeled zero trans, it is not
necessary for all of the ingredients to be trans free. Fats have
different trans levels depending on the amount of hydro-
genation, and a low-trans fat might supply the desired label
claim as well as some added functionality.
We are constantly working on innovative ways to
expand the canola market, continues Hunter. For example,
we recently introduced a zero-trans, high-oleic grill oil for
the foodservice industry. The oil is more stable than standard
canola oil, and works well on a grill, in a skillet and for a but-
ter-flavored topping oil. Other products include canola and
flax oil margarine with a higher omega-3 content and non-
GMO expeller-pressed oil.
CanolaSupp_06.qxd 7/24/06 1:34 PM
Canola oil provides
an excellent fatty
acid profile, and its
clean flavor makes
it ideal for many
food applications.
Page 9
Cold-pressed canola oil represents
a much smaller volume and is gener-
ally marketed in specialty food stores.
Both extraction processes produce
canola oil that is bland in taste and
light yellow in color with excellent
nutritional properties.
The oil which is produced during
the extraction process is referred to as
crude oil because it contains various
compounds which must be removed to
ensure a product with good stability
and shelf life. These impurities include
phospholipids, mucilaginous gums,
free fatty acids, color pigments and
fine meal particles. Several methods
involving precipitation in water or a
combination of water and organic acids
are used to remove these natural
byproducts. Once removed, these
byproducts are added to the canola
meal fraction to increase its feed value
(energy) and make it an even more
nutritious product.
Following the precipitation
process, the oil is bleached to remove
color compounds. In contrast to what
may be implied by the term, bleach-
ing does not involve the use of harsh
chemicals. Instead, during the
bleaching process, the oil is moved
through natural diatomaceous clay to
remove color compounds and other
byproducts that reduce oil stability.
Deodorization is the final step in
the refining of all vegetable oils,
including canola. Deodorization
involves the use of steam distillation
to remove any residual compounds
such as chlorophyll which, if retained,
could impart an unpleasant odor and
taste to the oil. The oil produced is
referred to as refined oil for use as a
salad oil, cooking oil or for further
processing into margarines and many
other products.
Expeller-pressed oil. Expeller
pressing, an all-natural process, removes
the oil from the seed without the use of
solvents. Canola seed is first warmed to
rupture the oil cells, which increases
yield, says Robert Teffaine, marketing
director, Associated Proteins, Ste.
Agathe, Manitoba. Next, we use a dou-
ble-press process to squeeze out the oil,
which is then degummed by centrifuga-
tion to reduce phosphorus to less than 50
ppm. Other impurities are removed
using nonchemical refining methods.
The color, flavor and nutritional
quality of expeller-pressed oil are
similar to standard canola oil. There is
some indication that expeller pressing
yields a more-stable frying oil, possi-
bly because of the all-natural nature of
the process. We are in the process of
examining our oils fry life and shelf
stability, says Teffaine.
Cold-pressed canola oil. The
oil is squeezed from the seed using a
cold-press method, which does not
exceed 40C, states Tony Marshall,
owner, Highwood Crossing Farm,
Aldersyde, Alberta. We typically
extract about 30% of the oil from the
seed. Impurities are removed by
allowing them to settle naturally,
without any filtration or the use of
hexane solvents. While regular canola
oil has a neutral taste, our product has
a distinct flavor. Some people
describe it as a fresh, nutty taste,
while others detect a slight, mustard
note, which relates to its roots in the
Brassica family. Chefs find that the
oils gold color and rich taste add a
unique quality to a variety of dishes.
Canola oil choices
Fat is an important factor in the
sensory quality of many foods. For
example, it imparts a rich mouthfeel,
carries flavor, tenderizes and facili-
tates surface browning reactions when
used for frying. While consumers typ-
ically choose foods for their sensory
attributes, many people increasingly
look for products that also supply
health benefits. A variety of available
canola products have diverse func-
tional properties, enabling the design
of healthful foods with desirable eat-
ing characteristics.
Standard canola oil. Neutral tast-
CanolaSupp_06.qxd 7/24/06 1:34 PM Page 10
ing with a light-gold color, standard
canola oil is naturally more stable than
some other nonhydrogenated oils.
Recent research at the University of
Manitoba, as documented in the 2001
report Comparison of Frying
Performance of Selected Oils and
Frying Fats, determined stability
using the active oxygen method
(AOM), a measure of a fats ability to
resist oxidation and rancidity. Canola
oil had an AOM of 18.8 hours com-
pared to soybean oil at 15.5 hours,
says Brent Zacharias, marketing spe-
cialist, Dow AgroSciences, Calgary,
Alberta. Canolas stability can be
explained by its high level of monoun-
saturates, which are less prone to oxi-
dation than polyunsaturates. Canola
oil contains about 61% MUFA and
32% polyunsaturated fatty acid
(PUFA) versus soybean oil with 23%
MUFA and 62% PUFA.
A more nutritious substitute for
other vegetable oils, canola oil has
application wherever liquid oil is
used, including in salad dressings and
as a spray oil for cereals and snacks,
pan release spray, cooking oil,
and component in numerous fat sys-
tems. Its clean, light flavor does not
lend any characterizing notes to prod-
ucts, making it a good carrier for
added flavors and seasonings while
also allowing a foods natural flavors
to come through.
High-stability/high-oleic canola
oil. High-oleic canola oil, character-
ized by good stability, low saturates
and no trans fatty acids, is a function-
ally effective and healthy alternative
to partially hydrogenated oils in
applications where long shelf life is
required and in high heat applications
such as frying.
Specially developed canola vari-
eties yield high-oleic oil containing a
minimum of 65% oleic acid (a
To maintain shelf-life in baked
goods, choose high-oleic canola
oil for stability plus low saturates
and no trans fatty acids.
MUFA) and less than 3% ALA (a
PUFA), while maintaining standard
canolas low 7% saturated-fat content.
Standard canola oil has 60% to 62%
oleic acid and about 9% ALA. The
higher level of oxidation-resistant
monounsaturates makes high-oleic
canola oil naturally stable, eliminating
the need for partial hydrogenation.
Currently available in the food-
processing sector but not as a retail
product, high-oleic canola oil possess-
es good shelf and heat stability, and
enhances end-product attributes. To
continue the AOM comparison, high-
oleic oil with a minimum 70% oleic
acid has an AOM greater than 42
hours while partially hydrogenated
soy is 29 hours, notes Zacharias.
Not only does the high-oleic oil itself
have good stability, it can help extend
the shelf life of end products. For
example, in certain fried snack-food
tests, samples made with high-oleic
canola oil had twice the shelf life
compared to controls made with stan-
dard canola oil. High-oleic canola
provides an additional economic ben-
efit to some snack-food manufacturers
due its much longer fry life compared
to standard canola and partially
hydrogenated soybean oil.
In frying operations, high-oleic
canola typically outperforms standard
vegetable oils and partially hydro-
genated products. The deterioration
of a frying oil is a function of the
development of free fatty acids, says
Willie Loh, Ph.D., market develop-
ment, specialty canola oils, Cargill,
Inc., Minneapolis. Oleic acid is
more resistant to breakdown under
high heat than other fatty acids,
which gives high-oleic oil a better fry
CanolaSupp_06.qxd 7/24/06 1:34 PM Page 11
life and reduces the development of
fishy odors and grassy and painty off-
notes. For instance, high oleic oil is
good for four to five days in a deep
fryer while standard canola requires
changing after about one day and a
typical hydrogenated frying oil after
three to four days. The fry life of an
oil is often determined by the level of
polar compounds, a measure of oil
degradation components. In french
fry studies conducted by the
University of Manitoba, partially
hydrogenated soybean oil reached the
24% total polar discard point at 14
hours of frying, while high-oleic oil
(70% minimum oleic) did not reach
this degradation point until after 40
hours of frying.
High-oleic oil can also improve
the nutritional profile and sensory
In french fries or potato chips, the amount
of saturated and trans fats can be reduced
by up to 80% by switching from partially
hydrogenated oil to high-oleic oil.
characteristics of many products. In
french fries or potato chips, the
amount of saturated and trans fats can
be reduced by up to 80% by switch-
ing from a partially hydrogenated oil
to high-oleic oil, states Zacharias.
When used for frying, high-oleic
produces a significantly better prod-
uct, with a lighter, cleaner taste and
crispier texture. In fact, some proces-
sors are switching to high-oleic
canola simply for the improved sen-
sory quality, aside from the nutrition-
al benefits.
In addition to use as a frying or
parfrying oil, high-oleic applications
include spray oils, salad dressings and
some bakery items. While the oil is
not applicable in baked goods requir-
ing a solid fat, such as pastries, it
works in products like many cookies
and muffins.
Margarines and shortenings.
Numerous food products require the
functionalities provided by semisolid
or solid fats found in margarines and
shortenings. For example, margarines
and other table spreads have certain
spreadability and mouth-melt require-
ments, while many baked goods, like
Danish and pie crust, rely on shorten-
ings for a tender, crisp texture.
Margarines and similar spreads are
prepared by blending vegetable oils
(hydrogenated or liquid oils in com-
bination with interesterified and/or
fractionated oils) or mixtures of veg-
etable oils and animal fats with other
ingredients, including water, dairy
products, flavors and colors.
Brent Zacharias, Dow AgroSciences
Nutrition Facts Labels Showing Potato
Chips Fried in High-Oleic Canola Oil (left) Versus
Potato Chips Fried in Partially Hydrogenated Oil
Margarines are available in stick, tub,
liquid and spray forms.
Shortenings are so named for their
ability to provide a short or tender
quality to baked goods. Processors
achieve desired shortening character-
istics, such as a specific solid fat
index, by varying the conditions and
extent of hydrogenation. Ranging
from solid products to lightly hydro-
genated liquids, shortenings are typi-
cally used as baking and frying fats.
Some products, such as pie crusts and
Danish pastry, require a solid, but pli-
able shortening for proper texture. In
other applications, such as frying,
food product designers prefer lightly
hydrogenated pourable shortenings
for their ease of use.
Processors use canola oil alone or in
combination with other fats to produce
shortenings and margarines with a wide
range of functional properties.
Researchers are developing processing
techniques to meet the growing demand
for shortenings and margarines that are
low in saturates and trans free.
One approach to no trans involves
combining canola oil with naturally
trans-free solid fats. Palm fruit oil,
for example, is trans free with a fatty
acid composition of about 50% satu-
CanolaSupp_06.qxd 7/24/06 1:34 PM Page 12
rates and 50% unsaturated fatty acids.
Our no-trans, general-purpose short-
ening is made by blending regular
canola oil with modified palm and
palm kernel fractions, says Pat Van
Osch, vice president and general
manager, Canbra Foods Ltd.,
Lethbridge, Alberta. Palms high
saturated-fat level provides the func-
tionalities of a solid fat without
hydrogenation. And while our prod-
uct has more saturates than tradition-
al hydrogenated shortenings, the
amount is typically lower than similar
trans-free shortenings made with
other oils, like soy, which is higher in
saturates than canola. Because of its
composition, high-oleic canola oil
offers a means of producing a virtual-
ly trans-free shortening with less sat-
urates than standard shortening.
We have developed a proprietary
process that enables us to combine
our high-oleic canola with other
oils, such as cottonseed, to produce
a shortening that contains about
1% trans and 20% saturated fatty
acids, states Loh. Standard shorten-
ing generally has 28% trans and
25% saturates.
Palm oil fractions are also valu-
able in formulating no-trans mar-
garine. Combining standard canola
oil with a small amount (e.g., less
than 10%) of highly saturated palm
kernel oil can result in a no-trans
margarine with the required physical
properties and low amounts of satu-
rates.
Interesterification can produce solid
fats that contain 1% to 2% trans fatty
acids. Interesterification involves tak-
ing a liquid oil and a solid stearin (the
trygliceride of stearic acid), cleaving
off the fatty acids from the triglyc-
erides, and then randomly reforming
the fatty acids into triglycerides,
explains Loh. The end product is
almost trans free with about 35% sat-
urated fats. Interesterification pro-
duces a solid fat with melting charac-
teristics not attainable by merely
blending oil and fat fractions.
Canola oil blends. Food product
Canola oil, which is light in color,
texture and taste, is ideal for
salad dressings.
designers sometimes blend canola
with other oils. Combining neutral-
tasting canola oil with olive oil
decreases olive oils saturated fat
content and increases monounsatu-
rates without masking olive oils dis-
tinctive flavor.
In response to the growing interest
in healthful products, we have devel-
oped a canola and flax blend mar-
garine, says Eric Hunter, director,
sales and marketing, Canbra Foods.
Flax oil is an excellent source of
omega-3 fatty acid, while canola helps
to improve the stability and lends a
neutral flavor to the margarine.
Just the facts, please
With a growing awareness of the
detrimental health effects associated
with saturated and trans fats, many
consumers are closely examining the
Nutrition Facts panel on food labels.
To help consumers make more
informed choices, both the United
States and Canada have mandated
new label requirements. In the
United States, manufacturers were
required to list trans fat content as of
Jan. 1, 2006. Canadas updated rules
went into effect on Dec. 12, 2005.
The Nutrition Facts panels for both
countries have many similarities.
However, exporters need to be aware
of the differences when labeling their
products.
The U.S. Nutrition Facts label for
canola oil is based on a serving size
of 1 tablespoon (14 grams). The
total fat breakdown, as noted on
labels, shows canolas favorable
fatty-acid profile, with a low saturat-
ed-fat content (1 gram per serving or
5% of the Daily Value, or DV) and
high level of monounsaturated fat (8
CanolaSupp_06.qxd 7/24/06 1:34 PM Page 13
Know Your MUFAs and PUFAs
Monounsaturated Fatty Acid (MUFA)
Canola oil contains one major MUFA.
Oleic acid
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid (PUFA)
Canola oil contains two PUFAs.
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
Linoleic acid (LA)
grams per serving). Trans fats are
zero, since by FDA definition canola
oil is trans fat free. With its 1.3 grams
of ALA per serving, the oil qualifies
for a claim that it is high in ALA
omega-3 fatty acid.
The Canadian label, based on a 2
teaspoon (9 grams) serving size, also
lists canola oils low saturated-fat
level (0.6 grams per serving) and high
monounsaturated-fat content (6 grams
per serving), as well as zero trans fat.
As defined by Health Canada and the
Canadian Food Inspection Agency,
canola oil does not contain trans fat.
The nutrition label may show the
amount of omega-3 (0.9 grams per
serving) and may state that the oil is a
good source of vitamin E or high
in vitamin E.
Each countrys rules for reporting
Omega-9 fatty acid (18:1, n-9)
Omega-3 fatty acid (18:3, n-3)
Omega-6 fatty acid (18:2, n-6)
the trans-fat content of food products
is different. In the United States, the
FDA lets manufacturers list trans fat
as zero as long as the food contains
less that 0.5 grams trans fat per serv-
ing.Consequently, some products may
show zero trans fats on the nutrition
label, even though shortening, par-
tially hydrogenated vegetable oil or
hydrogenated vegetable oil is listed
on the ingredient statement, as long as
the amount is low enough to fall under
the specified level.
Canadian regulations allow for
two trans fat declarations, one on the
Nutrition Facts panel and the other
on the front label. Each location is
governed by a different set of rules.
To list zero trans on the Nutrition
Facts panel, the amount of trans per
serving must be mathematically zero.
Standard canola oil contains
61% oleic acid. High-oleic
canola oil typically averages
over 70%. Oleic acid has been
shown to help reduce the risk
of heart disease and stroke.
Canola oil contains 11% ALA,
an essential fatty acid that has
been shown to help reduce the
risk of heart disease and stroke.
Canola oil contains 21%
LA, an essential fatty acid
that is plentiful in the North
American diet.
This is simply a matter of taking the
total amount of fat in a formulation,
regardless of the type of fat, and cal-
culating the amount of trans present
in the fat, explains Dave Forster,
director of research, Bunge Canada,
Oakville, Ontario. If that value is
less than 0.05 grams per serving, it
can be labeled as zero trans. This is
10 times lower than the level allowed
in the United States to list zero trans
on the nutrition label.
Rules are stricter to achieve a zero
trans declaration on the front label. In
this instance, trans fats are linked to the
quality of fat, and three criteria must be
met, says Forster. One, the product
must contain less than 0.2 grams of trans
per serving and reference amount. The
reference amount is often the Daily
Value, although not always. Secondly,
CanolaSupp_06.qxd 7/24/06 1:34 PM Page 14

Soft margarines made with canola oil

are trans fat free and low in
saturated fats.

The protein in canola meal comple-

ments the dairy cows own produc-
tion of protein in the rumen to meet
the amino acid requirements for milk
production. Canadian canola meal
typically contains 35.0% minimum
crude protein, 3.5% oil, 12.0% crude
fiber and 10.0% moisture.

More canola innovations

there must be less than or equal to 2.0
grams saturated fat plus trans fat per
serving. And finally, the food must pro-
vide 15% or less energy from the sum of
saturates and trans. It can be difficult to
meet these requirements, and many
products that qualify for zero trans on
the nutrition panel will not be able to
make a front-panel claim. For example,
bakery products that rely on the func-
tionalities of saturated fat would proba-
bly not be able to put zero trans on the
front. Even if the fat is trans free, the
amount of saturates will be too high.
seed. Todays canola meal is a highly
palatable, well balanced protein sup-
plement for animal feeds.
Canola meal is the second most
popular protein ingredient for animal
feeds in the world after soybean
meal, says Dave Hickling, Ph.D.,
vice president, canola utilization,
Canola Council of Canada. It has a
good amino-acid profile and is high-
ly digestible. While it is used in all
types of feeds, canola meal is a pre-
mium ingredient in dairy cattle diets.
It is estimated that within 10 years,
about half of canolas acreage in North
America will encompass special vari-
eties developed to address specific mar-
ket needs. The canola industry supports
extensive, continuing research with
objectives that range from higher oil
content seed to different fatty acid pro-
files and agronomic improvements. One
innovation has already been commer-
cialized: canola varieties that yield high-
oleic oil.
Vegetable oilseeds, such as
canola and soy, have different market
values based on their composition,
states Hickling. Standard canola
seed contains 42% to 43% oil and is
valued more for its oil yield than
meal. On the other hand, soybeans
contain 18% to 20% oil, which makes

Canola meal
In addition to yielding a premium
edible vegetable oil, canola seed pro- The canola industry supports
vides a nutritious meal commonly
used in animal feeds around the extensive, continuing research
world. During the development of
canola seed, glucosinolates that with objectives that range from higher
account for the strong pungent flavor
in rapeseed meal were reduced to oil content seed to different fatty acid
increase palatability. By definition,
canola meal must contain less than 30
profiles and agronomic improvements.
micromoles of glucosinolates per
gram of the solid component of the
CanolaSupp_06.qxd 7/24/06 1:34 PM Page 15
the meal more valuable. To increase
the value of canola seed, effort is
being made to develop seed with 46%
to 47% oil.
Food industry needs are driving
research to alter canolas fatty-acid
profile. In the United States, an oil
that contains less than 1 gram of sat-
urated fats per tablespoon serving can
be labeled as low in saturated fats.
This is attainable with standard
canola seed, which contains less than
7% saturated fat; however, seed
breeders are targeting 6.0% to 6.5%
saturated fats to ensure that the natu-
ral variability in fatty-acid composi-
tion does not exceed 7.0% saturates.
For Further Information...
Additional information on canola products and applications can be found at www.canola-council.org
and www.canolainfo.org, or by calling toll-free 866/479-0853.
Work is also in progress to signifi-
cantly reduce saturated fats to less
than 3.5%, which would result in an
oil with less than 0.5 grams saturated
fat per tablespoon. Under U.S. label-
ing laws, this very low level would
allow a label claim of contains no
saturated fats. Another objective is
the development of ultra high omega-
3 oil, with potential use in the health
food market.
Other innovative development
projects address canola meal and pro-
ductivity issues. Canola meal current-
ly contains about 12% fiber, as com-
pared to 4% in soy meal. To improve
both the energy and economic value
Within the next decade, half of North
Americas canola acreage will be
devoted to special varieties developed
to address special market needs.
of the meal, effort is underway to
decrease the fiber content, possibly
by increasing the oil and protein lev-
els in the seed. Growers are interested
in agronomic improvements, such as
seed with higher yield, herbicide and
disease tolerance, and resistance to
drought stress.
Canola seed was developed with
traditional plant breeding techniques,
and those methods are still used
today, notes Hickling. While some
research involves biotechnology,
at this point, its use has been limited
to the development of herbicide
tolerance.
Todays global canola industry has
taken plant breeders original desire
to improve rapeseed and expanded
the concept to successfully address
the nutritional and functional com-
plexities of the food industry.
Ongoing research promises to contin-
ue satisfying the ever-changing
demands of growers, n food processors
and consumers.
Freelance technical writer Elaine
Knehr holds a B.S. in Food Technology
and an M.S. in Business Administra-
tion. Her 10 years of experience in
product development covers a wide
CanolaSupp_06.qxd 7/24/06 1:34 PM Page 16

For more information on canola oil, products and applications,

go to www.canola-council.org and www.canolainfo.org,
or call toll-free 866/479-0853.