Canola

Abstract

Rapeseed and canola are closely related members of the mustard family (Brassicaceae) that are both grown as oilseed crops. All current varieties of rapeseed and canola were developed from Brassica napus and Brassica rapa. Rapeseed is grown primarily as a source of erucic acid, which is not edible but is valuable in high-performance industrial lubricants. In the early 1970s, Canadian plant breeders used conventional breeding techniques to remove the anti-nutritional erucic acid and bitter glucosinolates from rapeseed. Removing these compounds resulted in an oilseed crop that produced edible oil low in saturated fats and a very palatable, high-protein meal for animal feed. They coined the word canola (for Canadian oil low acid) to describe a crop that is low in both compounds.