GOLD-COLOURED OIL WITH AN
OFF-DRY BOUQUET
Rapeseed belongs in the family of crucifers and is dis-
tributed in Europe only. It originates from the coastal areas
of the Mediterranean region. It is very likely that the
golden yellow plant emerged from a cross between the wild
turnip and the field mustard, two species that share the
Mediterranean as their main distribution area. Rapeseed
was first cultivated in the Middle Ages and thus is a still
young crop plant. The fuel for the oil lamps was won from
rapeseed and field mustard. Rapeseed oil originally had a
high share of bitter-tasting compounds and the critical
erucic acid. Therefore it was barely used in food but as
lamp oil, lubricant and as base material for the production
of soap. It was only when varieties with less erucic acid
and bitterns could be cultivated in the 1970s and 1980s
that rapesed oil became one of the most important oil
plants worldwide. At the end of the 20
th
century, rapeseed
had its heyday as nutritional oil and as base material for
edible fats.
Rapeseed oil is won in oil mills by pressing or by extrac-
tion. Two different techniques are applied: the hot press-
ing or refining in oil mills, or the decating process in
decentralised oil mills. Only the yellow kernel of the fruit
is used for oil production. The black shell is removed in
order not to let the bitterns get into the oil. Compared to
the refined oil, the decated rapeseed oil has the advantage
that it contains more vitamins, carotines and other fat
accompanying substances.
At AURO, rapeseed oil from cer-
tified organic farming (cof) is used
as soap in many cleaning products.
RAPESEED OIL
from
c
ertified
o
rganic
f
arming
Oils and fats
cof
The blooming period of rapeseed starts in spring-
time and lasts about three weeks. During this time,
the bright yellow fields can be seen everywhere.
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