Quality of western Canadian canola 2018

Free fatty acids content

The average free fatty acids (FFA) content of the oil for the 2018 canola is 0.15%, identical to what was observed in 2017 and calculated for the 5-year average (Tables 1 and 4, Figure 11). FFA averages for Canola, No. 1 Canada samples from Alberta-Peace River (0.17%) and Manitoba (0.17%) were slightly higher than what was observed in the samples from Saskatchewan (0.13%) (Table 4). Canola, No. 1 Canada samples from Manitoba crop districts 4, 5, 6, 9+10 and 12 and crop districts 5 and 7 from Alberta-Peace River had FFA averages higher than 0.2%.

Samples graded Canola, No. 2 Canada presented FFA levels much higher than samples graded Canola No. 1, Canada, 0.26% versus 0.15% (Table 4). There was no significant difference between Saskatchewan and Alberta-Peace River averages regarding the FFA averages. However, FFA averages for the Manitoba samples were higher for all grades than the Saskatchewan and Alberta-Peace River averages (Table 4). Growing conditions varied in the prairies, this year, the main damage was green seed counts linked to seed immaturity mainly in the northwestern part of Alberta-Peace River. It is likely that seeds were quite mature in Manitoba when the September rains obliged the producers to pause their canola harvest in some areas; moisture on mature grains usually leads to germination which could results in higher FFA in some canola samples.

Samples graded Canola, No. 2 Canada presented FFA levels much higher than samples graded Canola No. 1, Canada, 0.26% versus 0.15% (Table 4). There was no significant difference between Saskatchewan and Alberta-Peace River averages regarding the FFA averages. However, FFA averages for the Manitoba samples were higher for all grades than the Saskatchewan and Alberta-Peace River averages (Table 4). Growing conditions varied in the prairies, this year, the main damage was green seed counts linked to seed immaturity mainly in the northwestern part of Alberta-Peace River. It is likely that seeds were quite mature in Manitoba when the September rains obliged the producers to pause their canola harvest in some areas; moisture on mature grains usually leads to germination which could results in higher FFA in some canola samples.

Samples graded Canola, No. 2 Canada presented FFA levels much higher than samples graded Canola No. 1, Canada, 0.26% versus 0.15% (Table 4). There was no significant difference between Saskatchewan and Alberta-Peace River averages regarding the FFA averages. However, FFA averages for the Manitoba samples were higher for all grades than the Saskatchewan and Alberta-Peace River averages (Table 4). Growing conditions varied in the prairies, this year, the main damage was green seed counts linked to seed immaturity mainly in the northwestern part of Alberta-Peace River. It is likely that seeds were quite mature in Manitoba when the September rains obliged the producers to pause their canola harvest in some areas; moisture on mature grains usually leads to germination which could results in higher FFA in some canola samples.