Erucasäurearmen

Erucasäurearmen describes varieties of oilseed crops and their oils with very low erucic acid content. Erucasäure is a long-chain monounsaturated fatty acid (C22:1) found in certain Brassica oils, notably older rapeseed and mustard oils. Elevated levels of erucic acid were historically associated with health concerns, which prompted breeding programs to develop low-erucic-acid lines.

In practice, Erucasäurearmen refers to cultivars and oils in which erucic acid typically makes up less than about 2% of total fatty acids; some standards aim for tighter limits (often 0.5–1%). The most widely known outcome is LEAR, or low-erucic-acid rapeseed, whose oil is marketed as canola oil in North America and as LEAR oil in parts of Europe. Breeding programs began in the 20th century, with Canada playing a pivotal role, and European programs later contributing to commercially available LEAR cultivars integrated into the rapeseed market.

Uses and market context: Edible oils produced from Erucasäurearmen cultivars are used in cooking and food manufacturing, offering a fatty-acid profile that competes with other vegetable oils. By contrast, high-erucic-acid rapeseed oil remains used in certain industrial applications where higher erucic acid content is desirable.

Regulatory notes: Many jurisdictions set maximum erucic acid limits for edible oils, commonly around 2% of total fatty acids, with labeling and standards varying by region. The term Erucasäurearmen is primarily a descriptive category in agriculture and industry rather than a universal regulatory label.