Quality of cold-pressed edible rapeseed oil in Germany.

Forty-eight cold-pressed edible rapeseed oils obtained from small- and medium-sized decentralized plants located all over Germany were characterized by different chemical parameters for their composition and by descriptive sensory evaluation. Between the different oils great differences could be noticed for each parameter. The results evidenced that additionally to the features given in the Guidelines for edible fats and oils of the German Food Codex, especially the sensory evaluation, the oxidation stability (Rancimat), content and the composition of tocopherols, the content of trans-fatty acids and the content of steradienes were crucial parameters to guarantee a high-quality product for the consumer.