Canola fits Trans Fat Task Force recommendations - Canola Council president Barb Isman calls canola oil a "perfect fit" with the latest recommendations from Canada's Trans Fat Task Force.
The Council supports the intent of the Task Force's recommendation to restrict trans fat in most foods to less than 5% of total fat content and to 2% of vegetable oils and soft, spreadable margarines. The canola industry is already helping to make this happen by offering a zero trans fat oil that is also lowest in saturated fat of any commercially available oil.
However, the Task Force's recommendations do not address high saturated fat alternatives that will lower trans fat content but possibly increase saturated fat content in food products. Isman believes Canadians should be concerned about these low priced, zero trans fat alternatives with higher saturated fat.
Instead, she points to the canola industry's innovative high stability canola oil that can be used in food manufacturing and deep frying. The industry estimated that high stability canola oil can decrease saturated and trans fat in foods such as cookies and crackers in the range of 85%.
The one area the Task Force did not touch on was the impact these changes to trans fat content may have on Canadian agriculture.
Dow showcases high stability canola oil for food technologists - A panel of researchers and industry experts discussed the benefits of Dow AgroSciences' Natreon canola oil as a replacement for partially hydrogenated oils during this week's Institute of Food Technologists Annual Conference in Orlando, FL. This was right on the heels of the American Heart Association's Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations for 2006, which would see a drastic reduction in the amount of saturated and trans fat Americans eat.
The AHA now recommends that saturated fat make up 7% or less of total calorie intake and trans fat make up less than 1% of total calories.
Meanwhile, one study conducted by the University of Lethbridge and discussed by the IFT panellists showed that foods fried in Dow's high stability canola oil contained 65% less combined saturated and trans fat than foods fried in partially hydrogenated oil. At the same time, the high stability canola oil extended fry life beyond industry standards by 50%.
International co-operation to improve canola trade - Canada, the U.S. and Australia could begin promoting the canola brand in the same way around the world following the first-ever meeting of their national canola organizations.
Stewart Gilroy, vice-chairman of the Canola Council, Brian Tischler, president of the Canadian Canola Growers Association, and Dave Hickling, vice-president of canola utilization for the Canola Council met with Dale Thorenson, assistant director of the U.S. Canola Growers Association, Rosemary Richards, executive director of the Australian Oilseeds Federation and Clint Munro, director of the AOF in San Francisco, CA. Their discussions centred around common objectives and how to co-operate for the benefit of each nation's canola industries.
Co-operation begins with something as simple as consistently referring to the crop as canola rather than rapeseed, explains Hickling. Each country would also tout the same health messages when promoting canola to their customers. They will also investigate using common standards for grading analysis, and taking consistent messages to trading partners such as China during bilateral trade talks.
There are plans in the works for the Canola Council and the AOF to co-operate on canola meal technical support in Pakistan, which is a customer for both countries, adds Hickling.
Canola research gets shot in the arm - Dr. Genyi Li, associate canola research chair at the University of Manitoba, received funding this week from the province of Manitoba for his research in canola genomics. Energy, Science and Technology Minister Dave Chomiak announced the $600,000 grant June 28.
“We are thrilled by this support of the critical research being done by our colleague Dr. Genyi Li," said Michael Trevan, Dean of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the University of Manitoba. "Dr. Li's use of genomic technologies to improve canola seed will enhance its feed and oil value, taking an already significant Canadian crop to new heights.”
Chomiak also announced the opening of Genome Prairie, a not-for-profit corporation that works in partnership with Genome Canada to fund and manage large-scale research in genomics. Genome Prairie supports two projects in Manitoba, including a $15 million canola genomics research project involving research at the University of Manitoba.
EU biodiesel factsheet on the web - Want the scoop on biodiesel use in Europe and what
it could mean to the Canadian canola industry? Visit the Canola Council website for the latest factsheet at:
http://www.canola-council.org/biodiesel/17016EUFInal.pdf
Biodiesel is a hot topic around the world - And the Canola Council-organized
conference Biodiesel - Powered by Canola! Fueling the Future on of the hottest tickets around.
Registration is now over 250 people from around the world. For more information on the
conference go to:
http://www.canola-council.org/biodiesel/conference.html
Canola Ink is your biweekly update from the Canola Council of Canada. Please copy, reprint or transmit any portion of this report. If you have questions or comments, contact Diane Wreford at (204) 982-2108 or e-mail wrefordd@canola-council.org.
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