Rapeseed Oil

Common names: Canola Oil, Colza Oil, Mazola Canola Oil (brand name), E401 (when used as an emulsifier in food products).
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KIDSADVISORY SAFETY RATING
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Risky
Published by Jordana Tobelem, RD, LDN — Last Updated on Apr 16, 2025
Medically reviewed by Dr. William Lin, MD
Rapeseed oil, also known as canola oil, is widely utilized in the food industry due to its favorable nutritional profile and functional properties. It is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, particularly oleic acid, linoleic acid, and α-linolenic acid, which contribute to its health-promoting effects, including improved lipid metabolism and potential benefits for conditions like diabetes and metabolic syndrome.[1] These characteristics make rapeseed oil a popular choice for cooking, frying, and baking applications.[1]
However, concerns have been raised regarding the erucic acid content in rapeseed oil, as studies have shown that high levels of erucic acid can lead to health issues, including myocardial lesions and reduced respiratory capacity in heart mitochondria.[2] To address these concerns, low-erucic acid rapeseed (LEAR) varieties have been developed, significantly reducing the erucic acid content and mitigating associated health risks.[2] Consequently, when sourced from LEAR varieties, rapeseed oil is considered safe and beneficial for consumption.[2]

Safety Overview

Regulatory Bodies

FDA (US)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recognizes canola oil, derived from low-erucic acid rapeseed, as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use in foods. Regulations limit erucic acid content to a maximum of 2% by weight to ensure consumer safety.[3]
Health Canada
Health Canada has assessed and approved the use of low-erucic acid rapeseed oil derived from canola-quality Brassica juncea lines, concluding that it is as safe and nutritious as oil from current commercial canola varieties.[4]
EFSA (Europe)
EFSA acknowledges the safe use of low-erucic acid rapeseed oil in food applications. However, they have identified potential health risks associated with erucic acid, particularly for highly exposed children, due to its association with myocardial lipidosis in animal studies.[5]
WHO (World Health Organization)
The WHO has not issued specific guidelines on rapeseed oil consumption. However, they have reviewed incidents like the toxic oil syndrome in Spain, which was linked to contaminated rapeseed oil intended for industrial use, underscoring the importance of proper processing and quality control.[6]

FDA GRAS

U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS)
Current Status
Classified
​The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies low erucic acid rapeseed oil, commonly known as canola oil, as “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) for use in foods. This designation is based on its low erucic acid content, which is limited to a maximum of 2% by weight to ensure consumer safety.[3] However, the FDA has revoked the GRAS status of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), including partially hydrogenated rapeseed oil, due to health concerns associated with trans fats. This action aligns with the FDA’s 2015 determination that PHOs are no longer considered safe for use in food products.[7]

EWG Rating

Environmental Working Group
  • EWG Rating: Rapeseed oil, commonly known as canola oil, is rated by The Environmental Working Group (EWG)
  • with a low hazard score of 1, indicating minimal concerns regarding its use in personal care products.[8]
  • Level of Caution: The EWG does not list rapeseed oil on its restricted or unacceptable lists, suggesting a low level of caution for consumers.[8]
  • Possible Health Risks: According to the EWG, rapeseed oil poses low risks for cancer, allergies, immunotoxicity, and developmental or reproductive toxicity.[8]
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More about Rapeseed Oil

  • Cooking & Frying Oils: Vegetable oil blends, deep-frying oils, bottled canola oil
  • Processed & Packaged Foods: Margarine, salad dressings, mayonnaise
  • Baked Goods & Snacks: Crackers, bread, granola bars

Historical Use
Rapeseed oil has been used for centuries, primarily in Asian and European agriculture, but early varieties contained high levels of erucic acid, which limited their use in food. In the 1970s, Canadian scientists developed low-erucic acid rapeseed (LEAR) oil, later branded as canola oil, to make it suitable for human consumption.[9]
Current Exposure
Today, rapeseed oil is one of the most widely consumed vegetable oils globally, commonly found in cooking oils, processed foods, and even infant formulas due to its favorable fatty acid profile. In addition to food products, rapeseed oil is also used in biofuels and industrial applications, making consumer exposure widespread.[9]

Cardiovascular Health
Rapeseed oil consumption has been associated with reduced LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B levels, potentially lowering the risk of atherosclerosis.[1]
Liver Health
Substituting ghee with rapeseed oil in the diet has shown improvements in liver steatosis and enzyme levels among individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.[2]
Lipid Metabolism
Compared to olive oil, rapeseed oil tends to decrease cholesterol absorption and increase the excretion of cholesterol and bile acids, indicating a favorable effect on cholesterol metabolism.[10]
Oxidative Stress
Diets rich in rapeseed oil do not appear to increase lipid peroxidation in humans when compared to diets high in saturated fats, suggesting no additional oxidative stress.[11]

Toxicological Studies
The 1981 toxic oil syndrome (TOS) outbreak in Spain was linked to the consumption of rapeseed oil adulterated with aniline, resulting in severe multisystemic illness affecting approximately 20,000 individuals. This incident underscores the critical importance of ensuring rapeseed oil is properly refined and free from contaminants to prevent adverse health effects.[12]
Long-Term Safety
Modern rapeseed oil, commonly known as canola oil, has been bred to contain low levels of erucic acid, reducing potential health risks. Current research indicates that consumption of low-erucic acid rapeseed oil is safe and may offer health benefits, such as improved lipid profiles and reduced cardiovascular risk.[1]

High-Risk Groups
Individuals with existing cardiovascular conditions may need to monitor their intake of erucic acid, a component found in rapeseed oil, as excessive consumption has been linked to myocardial lipidosis in animal studies. However, modern low-erucic acid rapeseed oil (canola oil) contains significantly reduced levels of erucic acid, mitigating this concern.[5]
Health Impacts
For vulnerable populations, such as those with metabolic disorders, rapeseed oil's favorable fatty acid profile, rich in unsaturated fats, may support improved lipid metabolism and cardiovascular health.[1]

Recommended Intake
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has established a tolerable daily intake (TDI) for erucic acid—the primary fatty acid of concern in rapeseed oil—at 7 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. This means that an individual weighing 70 kg should limit their erucic acid intake to 490 mg daily to avoid potential health risks.[13]

General Safety
Refined rapeseed oil is generally considered safe for consumption, as the refining process typically removes allergenic proteins, minimizing the risk of allergic reactions. No clinical instances of allergy have occurred through ingestion of rapeseed oil, with reactions being limited to positive skin prick testing in sensitized individuals.[14]
Sensitive Individuals
Individuals with existing allergies to mustard or other Brassicaceae family members may exhibit cross-reactivity to rapeseed proteins. However, such reactions are rare, and the clinical relevance of allergy to rapeseed oil is disputable, since there is no evidence that rapeseed oil, when ingested as food, causes allergic reactions.[15]

FAQ

Is canola oil the same as rapeseed oil?

Canola oil is a type of rapeseed oil that has been bred to have low erucic acid content.

Is rapeseed oil good for you?

Yes, rapeseed oil is considered healthy due to its low saturated fat and high omega-3 content.

What is the unhealthiest oil to cook with?

Partially hydrogenated oils, which contain trans fats, are considered the unhealthiest for cooking.

Why is it called rapeseed oil?

It is called rapeseed oil because it is extracted from the seeds of the rape plant, a member of the Brassica family.

References

  1. Shen J et al 2023 A comprehensive review of health-benefiting components in rapeseed oil Nutrients 15(4):999 Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9962526/ ↩︎
  2. Borg K 1975 Physiopathological effects of rapeseed oil a review Acta Medica Scandinavica Supplementum 585:5-13 Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/766575/ ↩︎
  3. US Food and Drug Administration nd Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 - Rapeseed Oil Available at: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-184/subpart-B/section-184.1555 ↩︎
  4. Health Canada 2023 Novel food information Low erucic acid rapeseed Lear oil derived from canola-quality brassica juncea L czern lines PC 97-03 PC98-44 AND PC98-45 Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/genetically-modified-foods-other-novel-foods/approved-products/low-erucic-acid-rapeseed-lear-oil-derived-canola-quality-brassica-juncea-czern-lines-97-03-pc98-44-pc98-45.html ↩︎
  5. European Food Safety Authority 2016 Erucic acid a possible health risk for highly exposed children Available at: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/161109 ↩︎
  6. World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe 1992 Toxic oil syndrome current knowledge and future perspectives Available at: https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/260458 ↩︎
  7. US Food and Drug Administration 2023 Direct Final Rule to Revoke Use of Partially Hydrogenated Oils in Foods Available at: https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/economic-impact-analyses-fda-regulations/direct-final-rule-revoke-use-partially-hydrogenated-oils-foods ↩︎
  8. Environmental Working Group nd Canola Oil EWGs Skin Deep Available at: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredients/701047-CANOLA_OIL/ ↩︎
  9. Gunstone F D 2011 Rapeseed and Canola Oil Production Processing and Uses Wiley-Blackwell ↩︎
  10. Lin L Allemekinders H Dansby A Campbell L Durance-Tod S Berger A Jones P J 2013 Evidence of health benefits of canola oil Nutrition Reviews 71(6) 370-385 Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3746113/ ↩︎
  11. Sodergren E Gustafsson I B Basu S Nourooz-Zadeh J Nalsen C Turpeinen A Berglund L Vessby B 2001 A diet containing rapeseed oil-based fats does not increase lipid peroxidation in humans when compared to a diet rich in saturated fatty acids European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 55(11) 922-931 Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11641740/ ↩︎
  12. Posada de la Paz M Philen R M Borda A I 1996 Toxic oil syndrome the perspective after 20 years Epidemiologic Reviews 18(2) 316-329 Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12192735/ ↩︎
  13. EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain CONTAM 2016 Erucic acid in feed and food EFSA Journal 14(11) 4593 Available at: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/4593 ↩︎
  14. Thermo Fisher Scientific nd f316 Rapeseed Available at: https://www.thermofisher.com/phadia/us/en/resources/allergen-encyclopedia/f316.html ↩︎
  15. Alvarez A M R Rodriguez M L G 2000 Lipids in Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Preparations Grasas y Aceites 51(1-2) 74-96 Available at: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/229888888.pdf ↩︎

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