ABSTRACT
Canola was developed in the 1970s by breeding a novel variety of rapeseed with reduced erucic acid content (Shahidi, 1990). It is now abundantly grown in Canada since it is well suited to the Canadian climate. It has become an economically important crop, for example, adding 13.8 billion dollars in economic activity annually and bringing back 2.8 billion dollars in revenue to the Canadian economy (Canola Council of Canada, 2008). According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA, 2007), canola oil was the third most consumed vegetable oil in the United States in 2007. Although canola meal, which is normally used in animal feed, is an excellent source of protein, canola oil is the most valuable part of the canola seed and is considered to be a ‘healthy’ fat compared to other popular vegetable oils on the market (Canola Council of Canada, 2008).
