• Can flax oil be part of a growing specialty oils market?
  • Flax oil can contribute to the growing specialty oils market that could drive a substantial increase in production of the crop. However, flax must overcome major challenges to compete for the potentially large modified oils markets.
  • Can flaxseed increase antioxidant capacity?
  • The approaches to increase the antioxidant capacity of flaxseed could potentially lead to an increase in the ALA content of flax oil or the production of oils containing conjugated octadecatrienic acids, which are more prone to oxidation than ALA.
  • Why do flax seeds accumulate more oil?
  • Flax seeds contain more oil than other seeds due to their relatively larger embryo. This is a significant trait for flax, as the seed coat makes up nearly 40% of the seed mass but contributes very little to the oil content.
  • How does the demand for flaxseed oil affect the extraction process?
  • The increasing demand for flaxseed oil did not only increase the activity level of flaxseed oil extraction but also increased the amounts of the by-products generated (e.g. flaxseed cake/meal) from the extraction process. Flaxseed oil is extracted by applying pressure on the whole flaxseed, i.e. oil pressing, with or without heating.
  • Is flaxseed oil suitable for food use?
  • Flax was initially domesticated for its oil instead of fiber ( Allaby et al., 2005 ). This ALA-rich oil is suitable for food use and can be obtained by cold-pressing and commercialized as ¡®flaxseed oil¡¯.
  • Where did flaxseed come from?
  • Historically, flaxseed has been consumed as an edible grain in Europe and Asia since 5000¨C8000 B.C. ( Carter, 1993 ). Flaxseed is valued for its oil content, which traditionally was used for paints and coatings, printing inks, soap, core oils, brake linings, and herbicide adjuvant ( Carter, 1993 ).