The topic of canola oil and GMO is one of the widely-discussed. Canola oil is comparatively new oil, but it is already one of the most widespread. There are dozens of canola oil uses. However, more and more people worry about the fact that it is made from genetically engineered plants. Is it so?
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Canola oil origin
Canola oil is extracted from the canola plant seeds. It is a cultivar of rapeseed, but rapeseed has a high percent of erucic acid toxic for people. Canola contains a small level of erucic acid, less than 2% according to Wikipedia, and safe for people’s health. Canola was botanically selected without any genetic modification. Canola comes from “Canadian oil low acid”. This plant is from one botanic family with cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, etc., so canola oil is vegetable oil, they are interchangeable.
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Genetically modified canola oil
There are genetically modified canola plants in the world. In 1995 the Canadian scientists modified the canola plant so that it has become resistant to the herbicide Round-up. As a result, this herbicide kills all weeds on canola fields except for canola itself. It eases the process of growing canola and makes canola oil cheaper. According to Wikipedia 90% of canola plants in Canada were genetically modified as of 2009. The percent in USA in 2005 is almost the same, 87%.
How to choose non GMO canola oil
If you eat only non-GMO products and want to consume canola oil GMO-associated concerns will make you choose canola oil attentively. There is organic or non GMO canola oil on sale. This oil is extracted from canola seeds NOT genetically modified to resist herbicides. This oil is likely to be more expensive.
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Considerations
Bioengineers declare that genetic modification of canola plant has changed genes of canola plant protein. As canola oil is free from protein it contains no GMOs and it doesn’t differ from the oil manufactured from non GMO canola plants.