Canola oil is perfect fit with new trans fat recommendations (June 29, 2006)

June 29, 2006: The Canola Council of Canada (CCC) supports the intent of the recommendations of the Trans Fat Task Force to reduce trans fat in the Canadian diet.


Canola Council president Barb Isman says the recommendation to restrict the trans fat content of most foods to less than five percent of the total fat content and to two percent of vegetable oils and soft, spreadable margarines is “a good first step and one the canola industry is already helping to make happen”.


All canola oil is trans fat free and it is the lowest in saturated fat of all commercially available fats and oils. “Canola oil is a perfect fit with the new recommendations,” Isman says, “but other lower priced zero trans fat alternatives out there can be very high in saturated fats and Canadians should be concerned about that.”


Isman explains that the Task Force only partially studied the issue of increased saturated fat intake in relation to the new trans fat recommendations. Isman agrees with the Task Force that further examination of this issue should be part of the government’s response to improve public health through consumption of healthy oils and fats.


Isman acknowledges that the Trans Fat Task Force necessarily focused its work on public health and trans fat intake but now “the canola industry looks forward to seeing a complimentary analysis from the government on the potential impact to Canadian agriculture and agri-business”.


The CCC president is confident that food manufacturers will take a closer look at canola oil to meet any new regulations the federal government may consider based on the Task Force report. Canola oil has a well balanced fatty acid profile with the lowest level of saturated fats of all commercially available oils (7%) and the second highest level of monounsaturates (61%). It is a good source of polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid and, as a liquid oil, canola has zero trans fat.


She also points out that an innovative new canola product known as “high stability” canola oil can now be used by food companies and restaurants to make margarines, baked goods and in deep frying without partial hydrogenation. That’s the process that forms trans fats. Isman says the industry estimates that high stability canola oil can decrease saturated and trans fat in foods such as cookies and crackers in the range of 85%.

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