PHYTIC ACID CONTENT OF FLAXSEED AS INFLUENCED BY CULTIVAR, GROWING-SEASON, AND LOCATION

Phytic acid content of meal from eight flaxseed cultivars grown in 199 1, 1992, and 1993 at four locations in western Canada was determined t o examine the effect of cultivar, location, and growing season. Flaxse ed contained 23-33 g of phytic acid per kilogram of meal, and averages for years and locations were significantly different among all cultiv ars. Yearly differences in phytic acid were significant at most locati ons. Variation in phytic acid was mainly due to cultivar and the inter action of cultivar with location and year. The stability of phytic aci d concentration in various environments appears to be genetically cont rolled. In flaxseed, phytic acid was independent of oil content and wa s not related to seed yield. A negative correlation was found between phytic acid and iodine value and phenolic acids of flaxseed.