Nutritional value of rapeseed oil and its high oleic/low linolenic variety – A call for differentiation

To offer the best choice of healthy and acceptable food to the consumer a coordination of plant breeding, food processing and nutrition science is required. Here the nutritional aspects of the high oleic/low linolenic (HOLLi) varieties of rapeseed with a low α‐linolenic acid content of about 3% are reviewed. The content of α‐linolenic acid amounting to around 9% is the hallmark of the positive nutritional value of the original (erucic acid free) 00 varieties of rapeseed oil (“canola” quality in North America). n‐3 fatty acids are endowed with the property to protect the cardiovascular system from chronic disease and the consumption of food containing n‐3 fatty acids is explicitly recommended by national and international nutritional and medical authorities. Although the use of HOLLi with a low n‐3 fatty acid content can be unavoidable for specific purposes, because of technological and health considerations the continuous future consumption of the original rapeseed oil with around 9% of α‐linolenic acid by the consumer should have high priority from the standpoint of public health. To pursue this aim confusion of the consumer must be avoided by creating a new name and a new brand for HOLLi varieties.