UK oilseed rape growers can help produce healthier fried foods

UK - May 26, 2006

Restaurants can produce healthier fried food with significantly reduced saturates and zero trans-fats without compromising taste by switching to oil produced from Dow AgroSciences Nexera oilseed rape varieties.  

North American research published this week reveals that oil derived from Nexera high oleic oilseed rape had performed as well as conventional oils in restaurants in terms of cooking and taste, and in terms of price.  

“The experience from trials in a Chicago restaurant bear out similar trials done in fast food restaurants here in Europe,” said Dow AgroSciences European manager Tim Hancock speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists Eastern Region on the farm of NFU President Peter Kendall. “What’s more, the oil is more stable and so lasts longer in friers.” 

The high oleic, low linolenic profile of the oil provides stability in storage without hydrogenation. As a result, the production of trans-fatty acids – which fast food restaurants and food processors are under pressure to remove from foods – is virtually nil.  

“Research at the University of Lethbridge in Canada has shown that the use of oil from Nexera varieties can achieve health claims of “zero trans fat” per serving by both US and Canadian standards,” said Mr Hancock. 

The same study highlighted the stability of the oils. In frying studies most conventional oils had to be discarded after about 48 hours of use, whereas oil from Nexera still had acceptable levels of total polar material (the international standard used to determine when frying oil should be discarded) after 88 hours of frying over 11 days.   

“This is great news for the food industry as it means a more economic oil that not only lasts longer, but less down time while oil is changed in batch friers,” said Mr Hancock.  

These benefits come without compromising taste as a third study shows. A consumer study of 170 adults and 179 teenagers showed a preference for the taste of food fried in oil produced from Nexera oilseed rape over conventional frying oils by two to one.  

“All this latest work confirms the great opportunity UK farmers have to be part of a new market which makes a big difference in the fast food sector and will significantly improve the health of the nation. We estimate that switching 50% of our frying oils to high oleic oils could reduce the saturate intake in the diet by 5-6g of saturates,” said Mr Hancock.