Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of linolenic acid (LA) on oxidation stability of rapeseed oils. Four kinds of rapeseed were harvested by unified cultivation and management in the same geographical conditions, and then four rapeseed oils with different contents of LA were obtained. The effects of linolenic acid and antioxidants (tocopherols and phytosterols) on oxidation stability of rapeseed oils were evaluated. Results showed that rapeseed oil with 5.9% LA was the most stable among four rapeseed oils, followed by commercial rapeseed oil, rapeseed oil with 8.4% LA and rapeseed oil with 10.8% LA. The oxidation stability was negatively correlated with the contents of LA (r = - 0.931, p < 0.01), the polyunsaturated fatty acids (r = - 0.932, p < 0.01), and unsaturated fatty acids (r = - 0.766, p < 0.05). It had no correlation with tocopherols and phytosterols (p > 0.05). In addition, according to the European Union Standards, shelf-life of four rapeseed oils was longer than 30 days in the shelf-life test. Therefore, increasing the LA content in rapeseed oils can be considered as an efficient approach to solve the problem of insufficient LA intake globally.