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Rapeseed Oil And Canola
45 Answers
Rapeseed oil was genetically modified by a couple of Canadians to remove the high levels of uric acid to make it fit for human consumption and they called it Canola. Then my question is, how are we producing rapeseed oil in the UK which is fit for human consumption but it's not classed as GM?
Answers
UK farmers are contractuall
12:18 Mon 19th Sep 2016
"Rapeseed oil was genetically modified by a couple of Canadians to remove the high levels of uric acid to make it fit for human consumption and they called it Canola."
I think you are getting confused. Low Erucic Acid rapeseed was produced by breeding programs, not by genetic engineering.
It's true that Monsanto have a genetically-engineered rapeseed plant, but that was engineered to make it resistant to Monsanto's own Roundup weedkiller.
I think you are getting confused. Low Erucic Acid rapeseed was produced by breeding programs, not by genetic engineering.
It's true that Monsanto have a genetically-engineered rapeseed plant, but that was engineered to make it resistant to Monsanto's own Roundup weedkiller.
Canola wasn't genetically modified by Monsanto. The Canadians that genetically modified it renamed it Canola - Canada Oil Low Acid.
Since posting this question though, I have found the answer to how UK rapeseed oil is fit for human consumption and that is because chemicals and solvents are used to remove the eurcic acid.
Monsanto's GM rapeseed, like you said is to make it resistant to Roundup or more importantly glyphosate - a whole different kettle of fish.
Since posting this question though, I have found the answer to how UK rapeseed oil is fit for human consumption and that is because chemicals and solvents are used to remove the eurcic acid.
Monsanto's GM rapeseed, like you said is to make it resistant to Roundup or more importantly glyphosate - a whole different kettle of fish.
You are all getting confused read this article.
http://
http://
The technical differences between rapeseed oil and canola oil along with their seeds is not an easy issue to understand. The internet is awash with false information on the subject.
In the USA, some 90% of canola crops are regarded as GM. Australian crops statistically are usually regarded as having an even higher percentage of GM. However, the reality is that the production of these crops are managed under selectively-bred programs, which are not technically within the sphere of GM modification for reasons that are quite complex. Ultimately, the jury is still out on the issue. Until the terms selectively-bred and GM become precisely defined by my scientific colleagues, this confusion will remain prevalent.
The link provided by EDDIE51 provides a good, simplistic overview of the situation.
In the USA, some 90% of canola crops are regarded as GM. Australian crops statistically are usually regarded as having an even higher percentage of GM. However, the reality is that the production of these crops are managed under selectively-bred programs, which are not technically within the sphere of GM modification for reasons that are quite complex. Ultimately, the jury is still out on the issue. Until the terms selectively-bred and GM become precisely defined by my scientific colleagues, this confusion will remain prevalent.
The link provided by EDDIE51 provides a good, simplistic overview of the situation.
Thank you to EDDIE51 and THEPROF. I had already found the article and found it helped clear up my earlier confusion.
However, my question is not about Canola. I was wondering how in the UK we remove/reduce the levels of erucic acid in our oil seed rape. I believe it's because we treat the OSR with high temperatures and chemicals to bleach it to remove the acid. It would be great if anyone could confirm this.
In the UK this oil is marketed as the healthiest oil to cook with, something I find a little shocking. To find answers that are wholly independent is a nightmare!
However, my question is not about Canola. I was wondering how in the UK we remove/reduce the levels of erucic acid in our oil seed rape. I believe it's because we treat the OSR with high temperatures and chemicals to bleach it to remove the acid. It would be great if anyone could confirm this.
In the UK this oil is marketed as the healthiest oil to cook with, something I find a little shocking. To find answers that are wholly independent is a nightmare!
MissCurious You don't need to remove erucic acid. 'Canola' is the name for the form of rapeseed that has been selectively bred to be very low in erucic acid . You do need to remove it, it is not there in the first place.
It is NOT genetically modified it has been bred by 'normal' selective breeding techniques, in fact Canola was developed many years before 'Genetic Modification' was even invented!
I think you are getting confused with the methods used to extract / remove the oil from the seed. Most oil is heated and a solvent used to extract the maximum amount of oil, the solvent 'hexane' is then removed.If you are worried about this then just look for 'Cold pressed' oil. This is oil that has been extracted only by pressing, without heat or solvent. Of course this makes it 'premium' oil with a price to match as the yield of oil is lower.
It is NOT genetically modified it has been bred by 'normal' selective breeding techniques, in fact Canola was developed many years before 'Genetic Modification' was even invented!
I think you are getting confused with the methods used to extract / remove the oil from the seed. Most oil is heated and a solvent used to extract the maximum amount of oil, the solvent 'hexane' is then removed.If you are worried about this then just look for 'Cold pressed' oil. This is oil that has been extracted only by pressing, without heat or solvent. Of course this makes it 'premium' oil with a price to match as the yield of oil is lower.
UK farmers are contractually obliged nowadays to use what is known as "double-zero" rapeseed oil varieties. What this means is that the seeds must have no more than 2% erucic acid content. Now this percentage can be regarded as a UK initiative as the European Union is happy to allow up to 5% erucic acid in the seed. The actual legislation is in something called the Federation of Oils, Seeds and Fats Associations (FOSFA) 26A contract. A typical contract document can be seen on the following link:
http://
Without getting too technical about this, seed has been delivered to seed crushing factories in the UK and is sometimes found to contain more than 2% erucic acid. If this is the case, the tonnage price paid to the farmer is reduced considerably ( I understand it's now around a £50 a tonne reduction) and the seed is processed for animal feed only. It does not get processed into edible rapeseed oil. This matter has been subject to some debate as no one can figure out how high erucic acid seed can turn up persistently in the seed processing plants - all seed is analysed for erucic acid and glucosinolate prior to being processed.
Because of these processing agreements, it is not necessary for oilseed rape seed to be treated chemically in the UK to remove erucic acid for human consumption. The seed simply does not contain sufficient erucic acid to be harmful.
There are only a handful of processing plants in the UK that are capable of processing seed. One of the largest is Cargill's and a colleague who spent a short period working there in his pecuniary disadvantaged days tell me that typically nowadays, the erucic acid content can be as little as 0.5% in seed.
http://
Without getting too technical about this, seed has been delivered to seed crushing factories in the UK and is sometimes found to contain more than 2% erucic acid. If this is the case, the tonnage price paid to the farmer is reduced considerably ( I understand it's now around a £50 a tonne reduction) and the seed is processed for animal feed only. It does not get processed into edible rapeseed oil. This matter has been subject to some debate as no one can figure out how high erucic acid seed can turn up persistently in the seed processing plants - all seed is analysed for erucic acid and glucosinolate prior to being processed.
Because of these processing agreements, it is not necessary for oilseed rape seed to be treated chemically in the UK to remove erucic acid for human consumption. The seed simply does not contain sufficient erucic acid to be harmful.
There are only a handful of processing plants in the UK that are capable of processing seed. One of the largest is Cargill's and a colleague who spent a short period working there in his pecuniary disadvantaged days tell me that typically nowadays, the erucic acid content can be as little as 0.5% in seed.
MissCurious, I'm curious as to why you're shocked over the claim that rapeseed oil is the healthiest to cook with. By and large, the statement is true.
Rapeseed oil is composed mainly of monounsaturated fats, has high omega-3, fails to produce aldehydes at high cooking temperature, has a high smoke point and has a low saturated fat content. There are worse edible oils/fats out there, believe me.
Without wishing to hijack this thread, if you want to see something far worse, look up palm oil. It's now in lots of processed food from bread to peanuts and is there purely because it costs a third of rapeseed oil. Food manufactures prefer to include this oil as it's cheaper and won't send food costs rocketing as rapeseed oil is currently in increasing high demand in Asia and for biofuel. Palm oil is one of the most saturated fats in existence and it's use is inversely proportional to the health publicity over the last few years about the dangers of saturated fats. When did you last see any pamphlets about the issue in your GP's surgery? Seen any government sponsored advertising campaigns in saturated fats on TV lately? Environmental lobbyists will also tell you that palm oil production has destroyed the environment for orang-utans in Malaysia and elsewhere.
Rapeseed oil is composed mainly of monounsaturated fats, has high omega-3, fails to produce aldehydes at high cooking temperature, has a high smoke point and has a low saturated fat content. There are worse edible oils/fats out there, believe me.
Without wishing to hijack this thread, if you want to see something far worse, look up palm oil. It's now in lots of processed food from bread to peanuts and is there purely because it costs a third of rapeseed oil. Food manufactures prefer to include this oil as it's cheaper and won't send food costs rocketing as rapeseed oil is currently in increasing high demand in Asia and for biofuel. Palm oil is one of the most saturated fats in existence and it's use is inversely proportional to the health publicity over the last few years about the dangers of saturated fats. When did you last see any pamphlets about the issue in your GP's surgery? Seen any government sponsored advertising campaigns in saturated fats on TV lately? Environmental lobbyists will also tell you that palm oil production has destroyed the environment for orang-utans in Malaysia and elsewhere.
Thank you THE PROF, you've helped clear things up.
As for why I'm interested in this, it's purely, simple curiosity, raised by watching a BBC health and nutrition programme that stated rapeseed oil was just as good as coconut oil. I don't care what anyone says, that's complete bull.
"Rapeseed oil is composed mainly of monounsaturated fats, has high omega-3, fails to produce aldehydes at high cooking temperature, has a high smoke point and has a low saturated fat content."
Just because on paper rapeseed oil is a healthy alternative, it doesn't necessarily mean so in reality. OSR has been around the thousands of years and only now do we eat the stuff. It raises questions in me, when the main use of the oil was in manufacturing and engineering. I strongly believe that the ONLY reason this is getting pushed as being healthy is because of Monsanto. They are the one's who have GM OSR, they have made it resistant to Glyphosate and probably also the horrific neonicotinoid pesticides. There is money to be made, the number of fields now growing this has grown substantially in the last few years. I assume OSR grown now is a hybrid, so farmers will have to buy new seeds, yet supplying more money to Monsanto - correct me if I'm wrong. As you can guess, I don't like or agree with GM or Monsanto! We may not be selling GM rapeseed oil on our shelves but I'm concerned our farmers are growing it and other GMOs. I truly believe these and other environmental practices are killing our honey bees - now that is a whole other thread!
As for how healthy it is, well there are a number of studies that dispute this and that it may cause more harm than good. Below is a good starting point.
http://
Because I don't eat the stuff (only use coconut or avocado oils or good old fashioned butter or dripping, I believe these are the good fats, even if saturated) I haven't been inclined to doubt this site and many others. My gut just tells me if has generally been a manufacturing oil and that Monsanto are going to make money from it, then we should not take everything we are told at face value.
I completely agree with you about palm oil and won't touch the stuff!
As for why I'm interested in this, it's purely, simple curiosity, raised by watching a BBC health and nutrition programme that stated rapeseed oil was just as good as coconut oil. I don't care what anyone says, that's complete bull.
"Rapeseed oil is composed mainly of monounsaturated fats, has high omega-3, fails to produce aldehydes at high cooking temperature, has a high smoke point and has a low saturated fat content."
Just because on paper rapeseed oil is a healthy alternative, it doesn't necessarily mean so in reality. OSR has been around the thousands of years and only now do we eat the stuff. It raises questions in me, when the main use of the oil was in manufacturing and engineering. I strongly believe that the ONLY reason this is getting pushed as being healthy is because of Monsanto. They are the one's who have GM OSR, they have made it resistant to Glyphosate and probably also the horrific neonicotinoid pesticides. There is money to be made, the number of fields now growing this has grown substantially in the last few years. I assume OSR grown now is a hybrid, so farmers will have to buy new seeds, yet supplying more money to Monsanto - correct me if I'm wrong. As you can guess, I don't like or agree with GM or Monsanto! We may not be selling GM rapeseed oil on our shelves but I'm concerned our farmers are growing it and other GMOs. I truly believe these and other environmental practices are killing our honey bees - now that is a whole other thread!
As for how healthy it is, well there are a number of studies that dispute this and that it may cause more harm than good. Below is a good starting point.
http://
Because I don't eat the stuff (only use coconut or avocado oils or good old fashioned butter or dripping, I believe these are the good fats, even if saturated) I haven't been inclined to doubt this site and many others. My gut just tells me if has generally been a manufacturing oil and that Monsanto are going to make money from it, then we should not take everything we are told at face value.
I completely agree with you about palm oil and won't touch the stuff!
You raise some interesting points MissCurious.
You mention that the BBC program claimed that rapeseed oil was just as good as coconut oil. However, please excuse me for being unable to comment on this as you've not provided any further information. How precisely was claimed to be "just as good"? Was it from a nutritional viewpoint, an environmental viewpoint or in some other context? Please provide further information if you are seeking an opinion.
MissCurious, please don't think that the information I provided in based "on paper" and nothing else. I'm a Professor of Biochemistry in one of the top two UK universities and I deal with the nutritional aspects of food products very frequently in my job. I have analysed personally and reviewed countless instrumentation analysis figures from edible oils in my working life and I can assure you, there's no mistake. I know how oils are metabolised in the body, their nutritional value and their pharmacological effects and my demonstrators, lecturers, readers and fellows in this university are of precisely the same opinion. Some stuff you need to accept as trawling the internet will not provide you with any verifiable counter arguments and rest assured, I've not misled you.
I don't know about us using OSR "now" as you claim. OSR was first included in food in the UK and USA in 1956. That's pretty recent in anyone's book. Yes rapeseed oil has been used as an industrial lubricant, but the reality is that virtually all vegetable oils have been used for his purpose. Speak to someone who has worked in a steel plant, where they use hundreds of gallons daily of red palm oil. A disgusting substance that has a smell that clings to clothes for days. Many refined edible oils started out in industry MissCurious.
You may not agree with Monsanto but I can assure you that your fear is unfounded. Monsanto has very little presence in the UK apart from one or two OSR varieties that are grown in research facilities that don't make it to the food chain. The ones in the goverment facility I moonlight at cannot hybridise with conventional species due the the level of environmental security in place. Accidents have happened in the past, but not now.
The Mercola link is irrelevant. It's a USA website where growing conditions are different and different specialised varieties of OSR are grown. We are in the UK and unless you inform me that you live over pond, I'll not comment on it.
You mention that the BBC program claimed that rapeseed oil was just as good as coconut oil. However, please excuse me for being unable to comment on this as you've not provided any further information. How precisely was claimed to be "just as good"? Was it from a nutritional viewpoint, an environmental viewpoint or in some other context? Please provide further information if you are seeking an opinion.
MissCurious, please don't think that the information I provided in based "on paper" and nothing else. I'm a Professor of Biochemistry in one of the top two UK universities and I deal with the nutritional aspects of food products very frequently in my job. I have analysed personally and reviewed countless instrumentation analysis figures from edible oils in my working life and I can assure you, there's no mistake. I know how oils are metabolised in the body, their nutritional value and their pharmacological effects and my demonstrators, lecturers, readers and fellows in this university are of precisely the same opinion. Some stuff you need to accept as trawling the internet will not provide you with any verifiable counter arguments and rest assured, I've not misled you.
I don't know about us using OSR "now" as you claim. OSR was first included in food in the UK and USA in 1956. That's pretty recent in anyone's book. Yes rapeseed oil has been used as an industrial lubricant, but the reality is that virtually all vegetable oils have been used for his purpose. Speak to someone who has worked in a steel plant, where they use hundreds of gallons daily of red palm oil. A disgusting substance that has a smell that clings to clothes for days. Many refined edible oils started out in industry MissCurious.
You may not agree with Monsanto but I can assure you that your fear is unfounded. Monsanto has very little presence in the UK apart from one or two OSR varieties that are grown in research facilities that don't make it to the food chain. The ones in the goverment facility I moonlight at cannot hybridise with conventional species due the the level of environmental security in place. Accidents have happened in the past, but not now.
The Mercola link is irrelevant. It's a USA website where growing conditions are different and different specialised varieties of OSR are grown. We are in the UK and unless you inform me that you live over pond, I'll not comment on it.
^^ MissCurious just to add 'theprof' is one of the most knowledgeable people anywhere on the 'net'.
As he says he is a full 'Professor' at an Oxbridge University and a leader of an entire team of graduate researchers. He specialises in food science and is a world leader in the field with very many papers to his name. He lectures on 'food science' all over the world.
You seem to have a 'bee in your bonnet' about Monsanto , but as he says Monsanto has a very low profile in the UK. They are very much a North American company with little presence in Europe.
As he says he is a full 'Professor' at an Oxbridge University and a leader of an entire team of graduate researchers. He specialises in food science and is a world leader in the field with very many papers to his name. He lectures on 'food science' all over the world.
You seem to have a 'bee in your bonnet' about Monsanto , but as he says Monsanto has a very low profile in the UK. They are very much a North American company with little presence in Europe.
To comment further on the Mercola link, the link discusses at length Canola Oil. As I said earlier, Canola oil is not easily obtainable in the UK. Canola seeds are not sown in the UK generally. As Monsanto are heavily involved in Canola seed production, their involvement in the UK is superfluous. Finally, please be assured that the Mercola link contains fallacies and is certainly not "a good starting point". I suggest you read it carefully again.
There's no harm in using butter or coconut oil but ultimately, you know what suits you best. I was brought up eating chips cooked in dripping throughout my childhood and it never did me any harm. Lard also featured on the menu.
There's no harm in using butter or coconut oil but ultimately, you know what suits you best. I was brought up eating chips cooked in dripping throughout my childhood and it never did me any harm. Lard also featured on the menu.
As a child in the 50s I never knew there was an alternative to butter or lard. (But I hear Lard is making something of a comeback now ? )
First I heard of Olive oil was as something you put in your ears to clear wax, we had never considered it edible ! Mind you we had never heard of spaghetti (apart from tins of Heinz) or pizza either.
First I heard of Olive oil was as something you put in your ears to clear wax, we had never considered it edible ! Mind you we had never heard of spaghetti (apart from tins of Heinz) or pizza either.
I'm blushing EDDIE51! Thanks for your support. One of the reasons I like AB so much is that there is usually no necessity to blow my own trumpet over my degrees, experience and what have you. My incognito mode is quite refreshing!
Having said that, this esteemed university has decided to appoint me to oversee the entire physical and biological sciences divisions along with the numerous science parks attached to the uni. I also seemed to have acquired a further four visiting professorships in USA universities since the last academic term. The present government has also provided me with further responsibility and seniority at their "research facilities" and my honorary military rank has been raised within these places.
Having said that, this esteemed university has decided to appoint me to oversee the entire physical and biological sciences divisions along with the numerous science parks attached to the uni. I also seemed to have acquired a further four visiting professorships in USA universities since the last academic term. The present government has also provided me with further responsibility and seniority at their "research facilities" and my honorary military rank has been raised within these places.
Well, I'm blowed! I've been very fond of the university scones that I've always felt were consistently tasty no matter if I was in The University Centre or any of the others cafes and refectories on campus. They must be shipping your wares around the university!
A note of caution here though. I've always tried not to reveal if I hold my current academic position in Cambridge or "the other place". This is the only cast iron method I know of to conceal my true identity on AB for obvious reasons. As I think I've said before, I've held professorships and other academic ranks in both Cambridge and Oxford and even some joint positions at both, which means I'm confident I've tasted your scones EDDIE51 whichever one I'm based at currently! Apologies for being so enigmatic.
A note of caution here though. I've always tried not to reveal if I hold my current academic position in Cambridge or "the other place". This is the only cast iron method I know of to conceal my true identity on AB for obvious reasons. As I think I've said before, I've held professorships and other academic ranks in both Cambridge and Oxford and even some joint positions at both, which means I'm confident I've tasted your scones EDDIE51 whichever one I'm based at currently! Apologies for being so enigmatic.
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