Innovations in Oils
Transitioning to renewable resources
LINOLA
Normally linseed (flaxseed) produces an oil with over 50% linolenic acid (18:3), which is highly susceptible to oxidation and imparts a strong drying property on the oil. This makes linseed oil a sought-after industrial ingredient for oil-based paints and other surface coatings, but severely limits its use in food products. To enable the broader use of linseed as a food oil, a new low-linolenic form was bred by inducing mutations that inactivated the two Fad3 genes responsible for conversion of linoleic acid (18:2) to linolenic acid, leading to a build up in linoleic acid to around 65-70% and leaving only around 3% linolenic acid.
The new oil was developed by CSIRO and United Grain Growers (Canada) during the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was commercialised under the Linola™ brand mainly in Canada (where it was classified under the Solin flax grain category), and to a lesser degree in Australia and the UK during the 1990s and early 2000s, with the oil being used mainly by Unilever as a replacement for sunflower and safflower oil in the highly polyunsaturated margarines of that time. However, the strong shift in the market-place to monounsaturated oils and the sustained expansion of the more-productive canola crop resulted in Linola exiting commercial production in 2007.
Linola has recently begun to be evaluated as a drying agent in bio-based interior paints where its fatty acid profile gives excellent drying properties without the undesirable yellowing that was typical of linseed oil based paints.
Get the facts …
Linola is the latest entry in specialty oils marketplace. I.C.I.S., 1998
Genetic control of polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis in flax (Linum usitatissimum) seed oil. Theoretical & Applied Genetics (1986)
A mutant genotype of flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) containing very low levels of linolenic acid in its seed oil. Canadian Journal Plant Science (1986)
<-- More Oil Innovations -->
BIOMASS OIL
Crop plants engineered to make large amounts of triglyceride oils in their leaves, stems and roots rather than just in their seeds and fruits.
OMEGA-3 CANOLA
Canola oil engineered as a sustainable, affordable & safe plant source of ω3 DHA & EPA, essential dietary fatty acids normally obtained from fish.
SHO SAFFLOWER
Super-high oleic (92%) safflower oil has been developed for use in high-stability industrial lubricants and as a feedstock for chemicals and polymers.
LINOLA
Low-linolenic linseed oil developed by induced mutation provides an alternative source of polyunsaturated oil for food and industrial use.
WAX ESTERS
Crambe is being engineered to produce novel waxes that combine fatty acids and alcohols for use as lubricants and renewable industrial feedstocks.
ACETYL-TAG OILS
Unique triglycerides with an acetate group replacing one of the fatty acids, have reduced viscosity and can be drop-in replacements for diesel fuels.
HIGH OLEIC SOYBEAN
Soybean producing highly stable oil with up to 82% oleic acid is the first new oil crop to be developed using advanced gene editing technology.
