Canola Fatty Acids—An Ideal Mixture for Health, Nutrition, and Food Use

The historical development as well as the industrial and other applications of the Brassica rapeseed and/or mustard seed oils have been more than adequately treated in other chapters and elsewhere in the literature (Appleqvist and Ohlson 1972; Kramer et al. 1983). The nutritional qualities of fatty acids of such oils are of paramount concern in contemporary society, especially now that canola oil has been accorded GRAS status in the United States and must compete with other edible oils, some of which have achieved considerable status in health oriented circles during the three decades since it was concluded that polyunsaturated fatty acids are good and saturated fatty acids are bad (Keys et al. 1959; American Heart Association 1978).