Canola Oil:

Canola oil is a healthy choice when it comes to oils because it’s very low in saturated fat and has a very high proportion of monounsaturated fat. Since it can tolerate higher heat than olive oil, you can use small amounts of canola oil for deep frying or sautéing. You also don’t have to discard the used oil. If you store used canola oil properly, you can use it multiple times to help save money and avoid waste.

Canola, which has potential as bio-fuel and cooking oil, is considered a high-value crop with seeds comprised of more than 40 percent oil. When compared to soybeans, which have 18 percent oil, and corn, which yields a mere 4 percent. Canola stood out to researchers as a key crop.

Working with farmers, crop and soil scientist, oversaw multiple test plots to find the best varieties and the best seasons to plant. Research efforts have resulted in varieties that can be grown in winter and spring.

Historically, nearly all of the 1.5 billion pounds of canola cooking oil consumed in the United States have been imported.

Canola oil accounts for approximately 88% of salad and cooking oils, 71% of shortening oils, and 53% of margarine oils. Canola oil is used for similar purposes in the United States, where it represents 7% of total vegetable oil use.

Canola is an oilseed crop that was developed from traditional rapeseed by Canadian plant breeders during the 1970's. It is grown widely across Canada, several European countries, and Australia, and to a lesser extent in the United States. Canola is distinguished from traditional rapeseed by the greatly reduced levels of the fatty acid, erucic acid and anti-nutritional compounds called glucosinolates.

Canola refers to a cultivar of either Rapeseed or field mustard. Its seeds are used to produce edible oil suitable for consumption by humans and livestock. The oil is also suitable for use as biodiesel. Canola oil is the preferred oil for use in both countries because it is the oil lowest in saturated fats. Canola meal is the by-product of canola oil processing. It is used as a high-protein feed ingredient in the rations of poultry, swine, cattle and fish.

Canola Seed Processing: Following preconditioning, canola seed is next crushed and flaked and then heated slightly. These processes help to maximize oil recovery. The canola flakes are then "pre-pressed" in screw presses or expellers to reduce the oil content from about 42% in the seed (on an 8% moisture basis) to between 16-20%. Screw pressing also compresses the flakes into more dense cakes (called "press cake") which facilitate oil extraction.

Canola Oil Pressing: The de-hulled rapeseed meats are then squeezed using a screw oil press, usually under elevated temperatures, to extract the crude rapeseed oil. At that point, the oil can be de-gummed, filtered, and sold as rapeseed oil. There is one final step involved to make true canola oil.

Removal of Euricic Acid: The main difference between rapeseed oil and canola oil is the level of euricic acid. This acid is in fact a bit toxic to humans in high doses. It's that fact that led to canola oil's development. The euricic acid can be removed by steam stripping some fatty acids from the rapeseed oil, or it can be done chemically by using an alkali treatment to neutralize the acid.