4.2 OIL PLANTS 88 The term canola is a contraction of Canadian and OLA (Oil Low Acid). Canadian scientists used traditional plant breeding in the 1960s to practically eliminate two undesirable components (erucidic acid and glucosinolate) of rapeseed. For this reason, the crop is called double low rapeseed . A significant number of food products are being developed using linseed in response to the variety of health benefits, such as reducing heart disease and cancer risk. cotton seed meal: farina di semi di cotone dairy blend: miscela di derivati del latte feed meal: farina alimentare flax: lino linseed: semi di lino rapeseed: colza safflower: cartamo, zafferanone shortening: grasso alimentare spread: crema spalmabile TEMPORARY OILSEED CROPS There are about forty different varieties of annual or biennial oil seed crops, but only a few are significant in the total world trade. They are called temporary crops because they are both sown and harvested during the same agricultural year. The most important oilseed producing areas are in the temperate zones. Oilseed crops Soybean, the main contributor in the world oilseed economy, is also widely consumed as a bean and in the form of various derived products because of its high protein content. Soybean production and exports are dominated by Brazil and the United States. Rapeseed is the second largest oilseed crop in the world oilseed production. A variety of oilseed crop developed through conventional plant breeding from rapeseed is canola , which is mainly grown in Europe, China, India and Canada to produce margarine, spreads, dairy blends, animal feed, emulsifiers and healthy cooking oils. Sunflower, a plant with a wide adaptability to different agro-climatic regions and soil types, has become a crop of major economic importance worldwide. It is mainly used to produce both margarine and oilseeds, which are then processed to extract vegetable oil used for cooking. Cotton field 182 Cultivation Peanuts or groundnuts are an important oil and food crop original from South America and currently grown widely in the tropics and warmer temperate regions of the world. Peanut oil is perfect for deepfrying because it can reach a high temperature and does not absorb the flavour of other foods cooked in the oil. Flax or linseed is one of the earliest cultivated field crops, initially grown for its fibre. Adapted to a wide range of soil and climatic conditions in the cool temperate zones of the northern hemisphere, linseed is used primarily to produce industrial oil and animal feed meal. It is also used in food products (breads and breakfast cereals). Sesame is widely cultivated in most tropical, subtropical, and southern temperate areas. The chief constituent of the seed is its oil, which resists oxidative rancidity. The seeds are also high in protein and rich in thiamin and vitamin B6. Sesame oil is used as a salad oil or cooking oil, in shortening and margarine, and in the manufacture of soaps, pharmaceuticals, and lubricants. Cotton, grown for both seeds and fibre, is a source of oil for human consumption, cotton seed meal and minerals for livestock and poultry feed. Biodiesel fuel Many vegetable oils can be turned into biodiesel fuel that can power most diesel engines. Examples are safflower, soya beans and canola, but biodiesel can also be made from waste cooking oils.