Oleic acid catabolism

The stigma of the emcic acid (C22 ln - 9) in rapeseed oil has lingered despite firm evidence that this fatty acid was more of a threat to rats than to humans. It is sufficient to say that the discovery of chain shortening of emcic acid to oleic acid by peroxisomes was one of the most fundamental breakthroughs in understanding fatty acid metabolism in the last few decades. Once in the oleic acid form, the emcic acid residue is as readily catabolized by mitochondria, as are palmitic and other fatty acids (4). The reduction of emcic acid in rapeseed oil resulted in a marked increase in octadecanoic acids, and their contribution in canola oil is around 95% of all fatty acids present (Table 2). 

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