Nutritional effects of partially hydrogenated low erucic rapeseed oils.

The incidence of cardiac lesions in male rats fed rapeseed oil (Brassica campestris, cultivar "Span") was lower with partially hydrogenated oil (iodine value 78) than withe the liquid oil which had been treated in various ways. Another rapeseed oil (Brassica napus, cultivar "Tower") was similarly improved when hydrogenated to iodine value 76.6, but not at iodine value 97.1, as demonstrated in both Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats. The improved nutritional quality of hydrogenated oil appeared not to be related to the decreased concentration of linolenic acid, because that fatty acid in linseed oil with or without erucic acid did not increase the incidence of lesions. A relatively high concentration of docosahexaenoic acid in the cardiac fatty acids was observed in adversely affected groups, but a lower concentration was found with the appropriately hydrogenated rapeseed oil.