Rapeseeds

Brassica napus Linnaeus — known as rapeseed and in certain cultivars, Canola—is a bright yellow flowering member of the Brassicacea family (mustard or cabbage family). It is a mustard crop grown primarily for its seed which yields about forty percent oil and a high-protein animal feed.

Rape seed oil was produced in the 19th century as a source of a lubricant for steam engines. It was less useful as food for animals or humans because it has a bitter taste due to high levels of glucosinates. Varieties have now been bred to reduce the content of glucosinolates, yielding more palatable oil. This has had the side effect that the oil contains much less erucic acid.Canola oil comes from rapeseed.

Rapeseeds grow into important oil plants in China, Canada, India,France & some other European Countries. Rapeseed, also called colza, is a member of the Cruciferae family and grows to a height of 75-175 cm. It has yellow flowers, blue-green leaves and is heavily branched with deep, fibrous taproot. The seeds are small, round and black-red in colour. As the oil content of rapeseed is around 43 %, the processing is usually made in two steps: pre-pressing plus solvent extraction. Sometimes only deep-pressing is applied.

The rapeseed meal is an important protein source in compound feed for cattle, pigs and poultry.

Rapeseed is planted either in the autumn (winter varieties) or in the spring (summer varieties). The winter varieties have a longer vegetation period and give a better yield, but can only be grown in areas with a mild winter climate.The harvest period in the India starts in late July for the winter varieties, in late August or early September for the summer varieties.

Rapeseed is grown for the production of animal feed, vegetable oil for human consumption, and biodiesel; leading producers include the European Union, Canada, China, India, and Australia. In India, 6.7 million tons are produced annually. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, rapeseed was the third-leading source of vegetable oil in the world in 2000, after soybean and palm oil; it was the worlds second-leading source of protein meal; it forms one-fifth of the production of the leading soybean meal.

Rapeseed oil is used as diesel fuel, either as biodiesel, straight in heated fuel systems, or blended with petroleum distillates for powering motor vehicles.Rapeseed oil had a distinctive taste and a greenish colour due to the presence of chlorophyll.

Health Benefits of Rapeseed Oil:

• Contains the lowest saturated fat content of any oil  less than half that of Olive Oil.
• Has 10 times more Omega 3 than Olive Oil.
• It is a good source of Vitamin E.
• High in monounsaturated fats.
• Contains no artificial preservatives and is trans-fat and GM free.
• It is suitable for a variety of diets vegetarian, gluten-free, Kosher and Halal.
• It is safe to cook at high temperatures with a burning point of 230c much higher than Olive Oil.