Quality of western Canadian flaxseed 2017
4. Quality data by province and western Canada
Tables 4 and 5 show detailed information on the quality of top grade western Canadian (CW) flaxseed harvested in 2017. The number of harvest samples collected from each province may not represent the actual production or grade distribution. However, there were sufficient samples to provide good quality information for each province and the samples received followed the provincial trends in production.
Oil and protein content give quantitative estimates of the value of the seed as a source of oil and of the resulting meal as a source of protein for animal feed. Alpha-linolenic acid is an omega-3 fatty acid which literature has shown can play an important role in maintaining good health in humans and animals (www.flaxcouncil.ca). It is the main factor in the increased use of whole and ground flaxseed in cereals and baked goods. Flaxseed is also used in animal feeds, for example in chicken to produce omega-3 eggs.
Iodine value is a measure of the overall unsaturation of the oil and can be calculated from the fatty acid composition. Oils with higher iodine values, i.e., with more unsaturation, polymerize more rapidly in the presence of air. In flaxseed, iodine value is directly related to the amount of alpha-linolenic acid present in the oil. Alpha-linolenic acid is one of the most important quality factors for industrial use as it is responsible for most of flaxseed oil's drying properties.| Grade | Number of samples | Oil contentFootnote1, % | Protein contentFootnote2, % | Iodine value, Units | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean | Min. | Max. | Mean | Min. | Max. | Mean | Min. | Max. | |||
| No. 1 | CW | 254 | 46.1 | 40.3 | 50.3 | 23.2 | 17.7 | 29.0 | 192.5 | 179.2 | 202.4 |
| Manitoba | 30 | 46.2 | 43.4 | 49.5 | 21.9 | 17.7 | 24.9 | 193.8 | 187.5 | 202.4 | |
| Saskatchewan | 191 | 46.2 | 42.5 | 50.3 | 23.2 | 17.9 | 28.7 | 192.8 | 180.6 | 201.4 | |
| Alberta | 33 | 45.2 | 40.3 | 49.2 | 24.9 | 19.7 | 29.0 | 189.5 | 179.2 | 199.4 | |
| No. 2 CW | 5 | 46.0 | 44.5 | 46.4 | 21.1 | 19.1 | 23.0 | 192.5 | 188.6 | 195.5 | |
| No. 3 CW | 2 | 46.3 | 44.7 | 47.8 | 22.6 | 22.3 | 22.9 | 193.7 | 187.0 | 200.3 | |
| Sample | 1 | 43.6 | - | - | 21.6 | - | - | 191.4 | - | - | |
| Grade | Number of samples | Fatty acid compositionFootnote3, % | Free fatty acids | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C16:0 | C18:0 | C18:1 | C18:2 | C18:3 | ||||
| No. 1 | CW | 254 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 17.8 | 15.0 | 57.7 | 0.18 |
| Manitoba | 30 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 16.9 | 15.2 | 58.4 | 0.16 | |
| Saskatchewan | 191 | 4.9 | 3.5 | 17.9 | 14.7 | 58.0 | 0.19 | |
| Alberta | 33 | 5.0 | 3.8 | 18.4 | 16.2 | 55.6 | 0.12 | |
| No. 2 CW | 5 | 5.0 | 3.3 | 18.3 | 14.7 | 57.8 | 0.35 | |
| No. 3 CW | 2 | 4.7 | 3.3 | 17.7 | 15.2 | 58.1 | 0.22 | |
| Sample | 1 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 18.7 | 14.5 | 57.3 | 0.32 | |
"Page details"
- Date modified: