[Rapeseed oil: nutritional aspects and safety considerations (author's transl)].

Abstract

In this review data are reported on the effects of rapeseed oil feeding to several animal species (mice, pigs, rats, guinea pigs, ducklings, chickens, turkeys) with particular regard to its nutritional value as compared to other vegetable fats, and to physiological and pathological modifications on different organs and tissues, namely: gonads, adrenals, thyroid, liver, myocardium. Finally, the results obtained after administration of regular rapeseed oil (i.e. with high levels of erucic acid) are compared with those obtained using the modern types Canbra, Span, Oro, Zephir (i.e. with low levels of erucic acid). From this comparison it could be inferred that erucic acid could be the major responsible for the observed modifications, but also that other long chain monoenes and the altered ratio between saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids might have a certain degree of pathogenic effects, although in this case the lesions appear later, are less frequent and less severe.