The potential of rapeseed (canola) oil nutritional benefits wide spreading via oleogelation

Abstract

Rapeseed seeds are characterized by highly nutritious fat content and supreme fat/dry basis ratio. Rapeseed with wild mustard ranks second in oilseed cultivation after soybeans, while in oil production ranks third after palm oil and soybean oil. The oil is widely produced globally, with China, Canada, and India being the leading producers. The rapeseed oil manufacturing process results in by-products like rapeseed meal and press cake, which are utilized as animal feed, bioenergy, and biorefining sources. However, its beneficial nutritional content and physicochemical characteristics are still underexploited in food industry. Meanwhile, oleogelation is a promising technology for enhancing the exploitation of liquid plant oils. Especially, rapeseed oil can be a prime candidate for it concerning its unique fatty acid composition, low viscosity, and high oxidative stability. The oleogelation process results in a solid-like texture product, versatile for a wide range of applications. The oils manufactured by cold pressing and less refined tend to have a higher oleogelation performance, as the refining process removes some of the natural components of the oil impacting its ability to form a stable oleogel matrix. There is also a possibility of using rapeseed oil manufacturing by-products in oleogelation, providing added value to the industry and reducing waste disposal costs. Being the main component of stable oleogels, rapeseed oil can be used in a wide range of applications, diversifying products and providing new revenue streams to increase profitability. Moreover, its present economic importance can support wider oleogels production and provide a viable alternative to palm oil. This work presents an up-to-date literature review on rapeseed oil, its preparation methods and its wide potential for use in oleogelation.