The role that oilseeds, including new hi-oleic varieties can play in improving the profile of fat intake by the UK population

Janice Irene Harland

HarlandHall Associates, Cirencester, UK.

DOI: 10.4236/as.2014.53024                

Abstract

The production in the EU of the oilseeds, rapeseed and sunflower, has increased dramatically over the last 20 years. Much of the oil produced after crushing is used for culinary purposes; this enhanced intake of vegetable oil has led to a substantial change of fatty acid (FA) supply. This has been conclusively demonstrated by taking the UK oil supply data and by use of the FA profile of the key oils converting the supply data into a FA profile of the UK market place for 2008-2012. The most marked changes are a reduction in saturated fat (SFA) and an increase in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) available for consumption. Furthermore the introduction of varieties of hi-oleic sunflower oil can further affect the market FA profile. The fat profiles of rapeseed and sunflower oils are considered healthy and they can have a positive impact when included in the diet, particularly as a replacement for oils or fats rich in SFA. In the UK and much of Europe, adult SFA intake continues to exceed recommendations. While reductions in the UK population’s SFA intake have occurred over the last 20 years, these are modest and it may be timely to identify ways in which SFA intake can be further reduced. To do this, the UK market FA supply data has been analysed alongside the profile of FA intake from adults recording their intake in national dietary surveys in order to identify if the market supply affects overall FA consumption. There is an indication that market oil supply is reflected in adults dietary intake of the main groups of FA. Consequently changes made to the oil profile of oilseeds by plant breeders and use of the resulting healthier oils by food manufacturers could have important roles to play in helping adults to achieve the recommended intake of SFA and also improve the overall fat quality in their diet leading to enhanced long-term health and well-being. Thus changes made in primary oilseed production supported by culinary use of these oils with a healthier profile could help support the UK’s Department of Health SFA Responsibility Deal and other similar National initiatives that are looking for industry pledges to offer sustained long-term reductions in SFA, consistent with healthy eating recommendations. Using the market supply to drive dietary change allows sectors of the population to be most resistant healthy eating messages and least likely to make dietary interventions to move to a healthier FA profile of intake with minimal personal intervention; in this case, health by stealth.

Keywords

Rapeseed; Sunflower; Vegetable Oil; Hi-Oleic; Healthy-Eating; Dietary-Intervention

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Department of Health (1991) Dietary reference values of food energy and nutrients for the United Kingdom. Report of the Panel on Dietary Reference Values of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy, London.
[2]	Henderson, L., Gregory, J., Irving, K. and Swan, G. (2003) The national diet & nutrition survey: Adults aged 19 to 64 years. Volume 2 Energy, Protein, Carbohydrate, Fat and Alcohol Intake. HMSO, London.
[3]	FAO (2010) Fats and fatty acids in human nutrition. Report of an Expert Consultation in Food and Nutrition Paper 91. FAO, Rome.
[4]	EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) (2011) Scientific opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to polyphenols in olive and protection of LDL particles from oxidative damage (ID 1333, 1638, 1639, 1696, 2865), maintenance of normal blood HDL-cholesterol concentrations (ID 1639), maintenance of normal blood pressure (ID 3781), “anti-inflammatory properties” (ID 1882), “contributes to the upper respiratory tract health” (ID 3468), “can help to maintain a normal function of gastrointestinal tract” (3779), and “contributes to body defences against external agents” (ID 3467) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/20061. EFSA Journal, 9, 2333.
[5]	Simopoulos, A.P. (2001) n-3 fatty acids and human health: Defining strategies for public policy. Lipids, 36, S83-S89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11745-001-0687-7
[6]	Aranceta, J. and Perez-Rodrigo, C. (2012) Recommended dietary reference intakes, nutritional goals and dietary guidelines for fat and fatty acids: A systematic review. British Journal of Nutrition, 107, S8-S22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0007114512001444
[7]	EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) (2010) Scientific opinion on dietary reference values for fats, including saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, and cholesterol. EFSA Journal, 8, 1461.
[8]	Nordic Council of Ministers (2013) Nordic nutrition recommendations. Part 1, summary, principles and use. Nord, Copenhagen. http://dx.doi.org/10.6027/Nord2013-009
[9]	British Nutrition Foundation (2005) Cardiovascular disease: Diet, nutrition and emerging risk factors. The Report of the British Nutrition Foundation Task Force, Blackwell Publishing, Oxford.
[10]	WHO (2008) WHO European action plan for food and nutrition policy 2007-2012. http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/74402/E91153.pdf
[11]	Mensink, R.P., Zock, P.L., Kester, A.D. and Katan, M.B. (2003) Effects of dietary fatty acids and carbohydrates on the ratio of serum total to HDL cholesterol and on serum lipids and apolipoproteins: A meta-analysis of 60 controlled trials. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 77, 1146-1155.
[12]	Henderson, L., Gregory, J., Irving, K. and Swan, G. (2003) The national diet and nutrition survey: Adults aged 16-64 Years. Vol. 1. The Stationery Office, London.
[13]	Palmer, P. (2013) Identify the key foods that provide saturated fatty acids to the adult diet and identify those where the composition could be enhanced in order to improve the fat quality of the diet by the use of omega-9 rich rapeseed oil. Final Year Project for School of Enterprise, Society and Environment, University of Bath Spa, Bath.
[14]	Harland, J.I., Buttriss, J. and Gibson, S. (2012) Achieving eatwell plate recommendations: Is this a route to improving both sustainability and healthy eating? Nutrition Bulletin, 37, 324-343. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-3010.2012.01988.x
[15]	Minihane, A.M. and Harland, J.I. (2007) Impact of oil used by the frying industry on population fat intake. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 47, 287-297. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10408390600737821
[16]	De Looy, A., Auty, P.L. and Coates, C. (1991) Is our dietary advice effective? Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 51, 63-69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/PNS19920011
[17]	Fehily, A.M., Vaughan-Williams, E., Shiels, K., Williams, A.H., Homer, M., Bingham, G., et al. (1991) Factors influencing compliance with dietary advice: The diet and reinfarction trial (DART). Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 4, 33-42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-277X.1991.tb00074.x
[18]	Defra (2011) Family Food 2010. A National Statistics Publication. www.defra.gov.uk/statistics/foodfarm/food/familyfood/
[19]	Bates, B., Lennox, A., Bates, C. and Swan, G. (2011) National diet and nutrition survey, rolling tables from years 1 and 2 (combined) of the rolling programme (2008/2009-2009/10). http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_128550.pdf
[20]	(2012) NDNS_Yr3_Chapter5_TABLES_FINAL_01082012. Xls. http://transparency.dh.gov.uk/2012/07/25/ndns-3-years-report/