Volunteer rapeseed

In a follow-up smdy (167), diets enriched by 16 0 (pahn olein), 18 1 (rapeseed oil), or the American Heart Association (AHA) step-one diet were compared by feeding these diets in rotation to 23 volunteers. TC and LDL-C levels were found to be unaffected by these diets, despite the exchange of key fatty acids common in human diets. The AHA diet, however, significantly increased HDL-C while lowering the LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio. There was hardly any difference in the lipid and lipoprotein concentrations of subjects following consumption of the 16 0 and 18 1 enriched diets. 

Because of the possibility of reversion or the presence of volunteer high erucic acid material, the standards for erucic acid level in certified seed have been much lower than the level accepted for food use. Table III outlines the erucic acid levels in certified rapeseed as well as the average value found and the percentage of seed tested meeting the standard. 

Craig et a/, (1973) found that the erucic acid content of rapeseed increased by 0.5% as the seed was grown from isolation in California to commercial production in Western Canada. Most of this increase was thought to be due to the presence of volunteer high erucic acid plants contaminating the low erucic acid fields although some increases in erucic acid due to cross-pollination and environment were noted. Wild mustard [Brassica /caber (DC) L. C. Wheeler cv. pinnatifida (Stokes) L. C. Wheeler] has also been implicated in adding to the erucic acid content of rapeseed. Studies on the erucic acid content of wild mustard found in Canadian rapeseed have... 

Although increases in the erucic acid content of pedigreed seed may be predicted and documented, the major cause of increases in erucic acid in rapeseed crops has been the use of nonpedigreed seed. Nonpedigreed seed stock often contained large amounts of volunteer material which in the early 1970s was of high erucic acid seed. 

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