Rape grown for industrial use i.e. High Erucic Acid Rape (HEAR) for polythene products.
Known for its bright yellow appearance, oilseed rape is a crop that is commonly found across the UK. Along with its colour, it is also rather tall, between one and two metres tall, which makes it stand out even more. Within the seed, oil can be found, which is the main reason why oilseed rape is grown. The oil is used primarily in cooking oils, commercial food processing and margarines. Some more interesting facts include:
In rapeseed oil, you can find a high level of erucic acid, which in large doses can be toxic to humans. The high levels of erucic acid was the reason why the oil was originally used in limited quantities. Western Europe’s milder winters allows for the growth of winter varieties of rapeseed, which are sown between summer and autumn. In terms of production, we can see a huge rise. In the 50s, around three and a half million tons were produced, which increased by a further five million by the 70s. Then, it has been building rapidly, to a point where in 2006 47 million tons of rapeseed was produced.
Rapeseed, historically, was primarily produced as a source of lubricant for machinery because of the high levels of glucosinolate. Another use it has had, and is still used as, is diesel fuel. This can be either blended with petrol for powering motor vehicles, or as biodiesel straight in heated fuel systems. Also, baking with rapeseed oil produces a gorgeous taste that also has a slight nutty flavour.
