Canola is an important crop because its seeds are the source of canola, or rapeseed, oil all over the world. In fact, canola oil is the #3 edible oil produced and used worldwide. The name canola refers to a blend of the words "Canada" (where the rapeseed plant was bred for production) and "ola" from the Latin root word oleo, meaning "oil."
What is canola oil?
Canola oil is a kind of vegetable oil derived from rapeseed. Canola (rapeseed) is the world’s third-largest oilseed crop, trailing behind only soybean and cottonseed. It contains a smaller amount of non-polymerizing saturated fatty acids, which means it has superior edible characteristics.
Which rapeseed oil is used to grow canola?
In countries that grow canola, HEAR oil is used only in special food and nonfood applications. The HEAR oil contains approximately 45–50% erucic acid, the highest erucic acid rapeseed oil available commercially at present. During hydrogenation, erucic acid is transferred to behenic acid, which has a very high melting point.
Where did canola come from?
Canola originated in Europe and made its way to the Americas via Canada. Canadians employed traditional plant breeding to develop a kind of European rapeseed into canola, a food crop that produces healthful vegetable oil for human use. “Canadian oilseed low in acid” is whence the term “canola” derives.