Canola Oil

Canola oil is a vegetable oil made from specially bred rapeseed plants with very low erucic acid content. It’s commonly used in U.S. fast food restaurants for deep frying and cooking because it has a neutral taste and a high smoke point. Canola oil is low in saturated fat (around 7%) and high in healthier unsaturated fats. Health authorities consider it a safe cooking oil, and its fatty acid profile is linked to improved heart health (for example, lower “bad” LDL cholesterol). While earlier forms of rapeseed oil raised concerns due to a fatty acid called erucic acid, modern canola oil contains only trace amounts of erucic acid, well within regulatory safety limits. Overall, canola oil presents only a limited risk, though repeatedly overheating or reusing any cooking oil (including canola) can degrade its quality and produce small amounts of harmful compounds.

Aliases / Common Names: Canola oil; low-erucic acid rapeseed oil (LEAR); rapeseed oil (food-grade) Regulatory Status & Exposure: Canola oil (low-erucic rapeseed oil) is approved for use in foods by the FDA and was granted GRAS status in 1985. U.S. regulations define canola as rapeseed oil with ≤2% erucic acid. Unlike older high-erucic mustard or rapeseed oils (once restricted for food use), canola’s fatty acid profile meets safety standards. In fact, the EU and Codex Alimentarius set a 2% max erucic acid level for edible oils, aligning with canola’s typical composition. The European Food Safety Authority established a tolerable daily intake of 7 mg/kg body weight for erucic acid. Actual human exposure to erucic acid from canola is usually well below this limit. For instance, most consumers get less than half of the safe level, although very high intakes (especially in young children consuming many foods with rapeseed oil) could approach the limit. Notably, U.S. regulations historically prohibited use of canola oil in infant formula due to infants’ potentially higher sensitivity, and the EU set even tighter erucic acid limits for formula decades ago. Canola oil is not on any U.S. hazard lists like California’s Prop 65, and no major country has banned it. Its approval in Canada, the EU, and by international bodies reflects a consensus that canola oil is safe when used as intended. Technical Evidence: Canola oil’s health profile has been studied extensively. It contains mostly monounsaturated fat (oleic acid) and a moderate amount of polyunsaturated fats, including about 10% omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid). Replacing saturated fats with canola oil can improve blood cholesterol levels – multiple human trials and reviews report reductions in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and total cholesterol when canola is used in place of butter or tropical oils. Its minor components, such as plant sterols (~0.9%) and tocopherols (vitamin E), may also contribute to cholesterol lowering and antioxidant effects. Epidemiological research supports these benefits: higher blood levels of linoleic acid (a major polyunsaturated fat in canola and other seed oils) are associated with lower risks of heart disease and stroke. Importantly, the safety concerns that once existed for rapeseed oil have been addressed in canola oil. High levels of erucic acid (over 40%) in old rapeseed varieties caused heart lipidosis in animal studies, but canola oil’s erucic content is capped below 2%. At these low levels, and typical dietary exposure, no such adverse effects have been observed in humans. Regulatory panels have concluded that canola’s erucic acid is unlikely to pose a risk except in unrealistic excess consumption. Some laboratory studies do show that repeatedly heating any unsaturated oil (including canola) can produce oxidation byproducts and small amounts of trans fats. For example, commercial deep-frying with canola oil over multiple days slightly raised the oil’s trans fat content (from ~2.4% to 3.3%) and led to accumulation of oxidized lipids. These breakdown products, if consumed in large quantities, have been linked to inflammation and other risks in animal experiments. However, in normal cooking practice and typical fast-food use, oil quality is managed to avoid excessive degradation. Overall, current evidence from clinical trials, population studies, and toxicology assessments indicates that canola oil does not pose clear health dangers at common exposure levels, and it may confer cardiovascular benefits as part of a balanced diet. Claims that canola oil is “toxic” or unsafe are not supported by mainstream scientific findings. Fast-Food Context: Canola oil has become a staple in fast-food kitchens, especially after trans fats were phased out. Its popularity comes from a combination of factors: a high smoke point (around 220°C) that makes it suitable for deep frying, a neutral flavor that doesn’t overpower food, and a healthier fat profile than the animal fats or hydrogenated oils it often replaced. Many major U.S. chains use canola oil or canola-blended oils for frying french fries, chicken, and other items. For example, McDonald’s cooks its french fries in a trans fat-free blend that is largely canola oil. Using canola oil allows fast-food establishments to advertise “zero trans fat” cooking, complying with U.S. regulations that banned partially hydrogenated oils. In practice, restaurants manage their frying oils by filtering and periodically refreshing them; this helps minimize the buildup of oxidized compounds that can form when oil is overheated or used too long. Canola’s relatively lower polyunsaturated content (compared to soybean or corn oil) also means it is a bit more stable during frying, producing fewer breakdown products than some other seed oils. Fast-food operators value that stability and the extended fry-life it provides. Beyond frying, canola oil may appear in fast-food bakery products, sauces, and dressings as an ingredient, where it provides texture and richness with less saturated fat. While any fried food should be eaten in moderation for overall health, the switch from hard fats and trans-rich shortenings to canola and other vegetable oils in the fast-food industry is considered a positive move for public health. It reduces consumers’ intake of harmful trans fats and high saturated fats, thereby potentially lowering cardiovascular risk associated with frequent fast-food consumption. Sensitive Populations / Notes: Infants and young children have been a focus of precaution with canola (rapeseed) oil. Infant formulas in the U.S. historically did not include canola oil, mainly to minimize even tiny erucic acid exposure during early development. (Recent regulatory moves have considered allowing canola in formula at very low erucic levels, reflecting modern evidence of safety, but manufacturers still primarily use other vegetable oils.) In Europe, infant formula standards set extremely strict limits on erucic acid (five times lower than regular food). For most children and adults, canola oil poses no specific hazard; indeed, using it in place of more saturated fats can be beneficial. EFSA did note that in high-consuming children (those who eat unusually large amounts of foods made with rapeseed/canola oil), lifetime exposure to erucic acid could potentially reach the safety threshold – though this scenario is likely rare and was based on very conservative estimates. Aside from age-related considerations, there are few special population warnings for canola oil. Allergy to canola/rapeseed is extremely uncommon, since the refining process removes proteins. Those with lipid disorders or heart disease may actually be encouraged to use canola oil due to its heart-healthy profile. One practical note: cooking fumes from any oil, including canola, can irritate the respiratory tract if kitchens are not well ventilated – proper ventilation is recommended during high-heat frying to avoid irritation from compounds like acrolein. In summary, canola oil is generally low-risk for all population groups, with infants being a special case of careful use. The main advice is to use it in moderation as part of a balanced diet and to avoid repeatedly reusing the same oil at high temperatures to maintain its quality and safety.

We assign the limited tier using published research, regulatory guidance, and PRūF’s additive taxonomy. Restaurant usage is derived from public ingredient disclosures and mapped to menu items where this additive appears.