"canola" news and stories

I have one fast food weakness: McDonald's fries. Thin, crispy strips of salted goodness. I can forgo most of the other fast food offerings, but no matter which diet I happen to be on or how much I may want to avoid carbs, that is one that keeps me coming back for more. The good news is, McDonald's has finally selected a new trans-fat-free oil blend, so we will be able to eat them with a little less guilt. Apparently the oil is already being tested in select markets, but they have kept quiet on which locations have so far made the switch.

McDonald's had tested over 50 blends before settling on a canola-based, corn and soy oil mixture. Obviously, one of their largest concerns was finding a product that maintained the same flavor in the cooked fries. Eventually all of the 13,500+ locations across the U.S. will use the new oil, but a date has not yet been specified.

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Although no genetically modified plants have been approved for human consumption, more and more of these crops are being developed and acknowledged as potentially offering huge human health benefits. For instance, they have seen enhanced nutrition in the form of zeaxanthin in potatoes, omega-3 fatty acid in soybeans, and stearidonic acid (SDA) in canola.

However, there is promise for a genetically modified tomato that has a high concentration of flavonoids, which are compounds that are getting a lot of press these days for their antioxidant properties. A study by BASF, TNO, and two universitiesin Holland and Germany has demonstrated (in mice, of course) that these GM tomatoes reduce human C-reactive protein (CRP), a protein that is associated with inflammation, diabetes, and heart diease.

But no matter if the governments approve something like this, it might take a long time for general consumer acceptance.