March Canola Oil Content Unchanged, Protein Rises

WINNIPEG - May 9/02 - STAT -- The quality of canola seed exported from Canada during March was at its season average for oil content, but contained elevated levels of protein, according to data compiled by the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC).

Oil content for No 1 grade canola shipped during the month was 42.1%, identical to the 2001-02 crop year average, but slightly below the 42.5% average oil content in canola shipped during the 2000-01 marketing campaign. Protein content in March came in at 22.7%, an improvement on the season average of 21.7% and well ahead of last year's average protein content of 21.1%

The amount of chlorophyll in seed exported during March was 25 mg/kg, down from the season average and last year's average of 26 mg/kg. This is a positive result because it the less green content there is in canola the better the quality of the vegetable oil produced when the seed is crushed.

The low chlorophyll content could relate to the dryness of cargoes shipped during March. Moisture content averaged just 6.9% on the 148,861 metric tons (MT) of product shipped during the month. This is down from an average of 7.4% moisture in the 1,606,830 MT inspected by the CGC between August 1 and March 31. Last year's average moisture content was 7.6%

Looking at other quality parameters, the CGC found the oil in March canola shipments contained an average of 0.1% erucic acid, 9.7% linolenic acid, 7.2% saturated fatty acids, 0.8% free fatty acids, and an iodine content of 113. Canola shipments so far this season contain an average of 0.1% erucic acid, 9.9% linolenic acid, 7.2% saturated fatty acids, 0.8% free fatty acids and an iodine value of 113.

The most important anti-nutritive element in canola meal are glucosinolates. The quantity present in March was identical to the season average of 12 umol/gram, which is 9% above the 11 umol/gram found in cargoes shipped during the 2000-01 sales campaign.