“Rapeseed(Brassica napus), also known as rape, oilseed rape, rapa, rappi, rapaseed (and in the case of one particular group of cultivars, canola) is a bright yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae (mustard or cabbage family). The name derives from the Latin for turnip, rāpa or rāpum, and is first recorded in English at the end of the 14th century. Older writers usually distinguished the turnip and rape by the adjectives round and long(-rooted) respectively.   See also Brassica napobrassica, which may be considered a variety of Brassica napus. Some botanists include the closely related Brassica campestris within B. napus.). Rapeseed was the third leading source of vegetable oil in the world in 2000.” (Wikipedia, Rapeseed, 7/6/2011)

“Rapeseed oil generally contains a high level of erucic acid, which is mildly toxic to humans in large doses. Traditional and other uses have been for lamp oils, soap making, high-temperature and tenacious high-erucic acid lubricating oils, and plastics manufacturing. With the shift to rapeseed 00 in the European Union, the low erucic acid content of the resulting rapeseed oil and its specific fatty acid composition make it a highly appreciated edible oil. As the European rapeseed production is “conventional” (that is non-GMO), the preference of the European food customer goes to rapeseed oil produced in Europe over other oils or other origins that might be produced from GMO.”

“Rapeseed oil has also become the primary feedstock for biodiesel in Europe (estimates for 2006: more than 4.0 million tons of rapeseed oil went into biodiesel).”

“Processing of rapeseed for oil production provides rapeseed animal meal as a by-product. The by-product is a high-protein animal feed. The feed is mostly employed for cattle feeding, but also for hogs and poultry (though less valuable for these). The meal (from rapeseed 00) has a very low content of the glucosinolates responsible for metabolism disruption in cattle and pigs.”

(SoyTech, Rapeseed, 7/6/2011)

LLDPE /Rapeseed Composites
Materials
Sustainable /Renewable Materials

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