Quality of western Canadian canola 2016

Fatty acid composition

The average level of erucic acid in the 2016 crop was 0.01%, which is identical to what was observed for the last 5 years (0.02%) (Tables 1 and 5, Figure 12). Similar to total glucosinolate content, these low values are a direct result of breeding efforts of the Canadian canola industry.

For Canola, No. 1 Canada samples, mean a-linolenic acid (C18:3) was 9.6%, similar to what was observed in 2015 (9.7%) and similar to the 5-year average (9.5%) (Table 1, Figure 13). This year, the a-linolenic acid averages were lower in Manitoba (9.3%) than in Saskatchewan (9.5%). Alberta-British Columbia had the highest average (9.9%). The total content of poly-unsaturated fatty acids or PUFA was 28.7, 28.5 and 28.6% in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta-British Columbia., for a western Canada average of 28.6%. For canola, the poly-unsaturated fatty acids contents are directly related to the contents of α-linolenic acid (C18:3) and linoleic acid (C18:2). This year, the ratio omega-6/omega-3 (linoleic acid/α-linolenic acid) was 1.97 compared to 1.94 in 2015.

For Canola, No.1 Canada samples, mean oleic acid (C18:1) content of the 2016 crop was 62.6%, similar to what was observed in 2015 (63.6%) and the 5-year mean (62.7%) (Table 1, Figure 14). Oleic acid contents were similar in Manitoba (62.4%), Saskatchewan (62.6%) and Alberta-British Columbia (62.6%). The total content of mono-unsaturated fatty acids or MUFA was 64.0, 64.2 and 64.2% in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta-British Columbia, for a Western Canada average of 64.2%.

The fatty acid composition (oleic acid, linoleic acid and a-linolenic acid) of the 2016 crop was similar when compared to the 2015 fatty acid contents). This led to an identical iodine value average for both 2016 and 2015, 113.1 units (Figure 15). For Canola, No. 1 Canada, the iodine value averages were 112.8, 113.0 and 113.3 units for Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta-British Columbia, respectively, reflecting the similar contents in both a-linolenic acid (C18:3) and linoleic acid (C18:2). The iodine value of individual samples ranged from 107.2 to 118.7, 106.0 to 119.1 and 107.1 to 120.0 units, in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta-British Columbia, respectively.

Samples graded Canola, No. 2 Canada showed higher iodine value averages, with higher linoleic and α-linolenic acid contents and lower oleic acid contents that the samples Canola, No. 1 Canada (Table 5).

Average of saturated fatty acid content was 6.7% in 2016 as in 2015. Since 2009, the saturated fatty acid content averages varied from 6.6 to 6.9% (Table 1, Figure 18). In 2016, the saturated fatty acid content averages were similar for the 3 provinces, (6.8, 6.7 and 6.7% for Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta-British Columbia, respectively). Total saturated fatty acids are usually affected by temperature, high temperatures lead to higher oil saturation.

For the first 5 months of the 2016 to 2017 shipping season, α-linolenic acid averages for clean samples ranged from 8.9 to 10.2%, averaging 9.9 and 9.6% in December and in August to November respectively for commercially clean exports(Table 6). This is similar to what was observed during last shipping season (9.9%). When compared to last year's average, iodine value averages ranged from 111.6 to 114.5 units (until December 2016) similar to what was observed during the last shipping season (111.3 to 115.1 units). It is likely that the iodine value will remain similar to what was observed last year. The level of saturated fatty acids until December 2016 canola (6.7%) exports remained very similar to 2015 to 2016 means (6.6%). It is expected that levels of erucic acid will remain very low for the new shipping season (below 0.1%) since erucic acid contents were very low in the 2016 harvest.