Consumer trends, health and regulatory requirements, and sustainability influence the development of new oil products. For the last 30 years canola/rapeseed oils have been at the intersection of these trends with new oil developments. Pairing the advances in crop breeding technologies with the Brassica species diversity we have accelerated the canola oil evolution into commercial products. During the 1980’s the need to limit partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) in the our diets due to the high saturates and trans-fat levels become apparent. A new canola oil with shelf stability, frying performance, nutritional balance, and taste was required to replace PHOs. In response we created three commercial products having <3.0% linolenic with oleic levels of 65%, 75%, 85%. Our plant breeding team released high oleic canola hybrids for production on a million acres aligning with the 2005 FDA requirement for trans-fat labeling. This forever changed the industry making high oleic canola oil the backbone for stability in frying and shelf life around the globe. A new trend is forming with medical and health organizations recommending a diet low in saturated fat. Consumers are responding by making healthier choices in the foods they eat. To meet this growing health demand we have commercially released a low saturate high oleic canola oil with <4.5% saturates delivering the stability and taste performance of high oleic oils. Our next nutrition step change is underway with a <3.5% saturate oil.
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