ABSTRACT
Almost 100 million metric tons of vegetable oil are produced annually, and most of it is used for food purposes. The majority of edible vegetable oil in the world (70 million metric tons) is derived from four crops: soybean, canola, palm and sunflower. About half finds its way (after refining, bleaching, and deodorizing) directly to the retail market in the form of bottled oil for cooking and salads (1). These oils tend to be rich in linoleic acid, an omega6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, and for this reason the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in the Western diet is greater than 10 moles of omega-6 to one of omega-3. Most medical experts now believe that this ratio should be about three to one, and suggest a reduction in omega-6 fatty acid consumption or an increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids (2,3).
