Flavor and oxidative stability of some linolenate-containing oils

Because crambe, mustard seed, and rapeseed oils, like soybean oil, contain linolenate ester, they have been examined and compared with soybean oil for flavor stability after accelerated storage and after exposure to fluorescent light. Tests showed that the Cruciferae oils did have similar flavor characteristics and that the addition of citric acid did improve their stability. When exposed to light, the citric acid-treated Cruciferae oils differed from soybean oil; they developed a rubbery flavor, whereas soybean oil developed a grassy flavor. Oxidative stability determined by the active oxygen method confirmed results of oven storage tests. This work supports the belief that if linolenic acid is present in an edible oil, it is a precursor to typical off-flavor development. Presented at the AOCS meeting, Chicago, 1964. A laboratory of the No. Utiliz, Res. and Dev. Div., ARS, USDA.